Broken Locks
by MarilynnRae
Summary: The team allows a teenager to join them. One girl helps the team grow as a family while she gains a family herself. Team fic/Begins in the middle of season 3.
1. Chapter 1

_This is a character add in story. The story will have a lot of Nate and Sophie later on, but Sophie (being the mother of the group) is the main character in the beginning. The next chapter is already written so if you guys like it, tell me! _

"No. This isn't the land of misfit toys, we can't keep a person."

Nothing like listening to people argue about you. I almost felt like a stray dog that they found on the side of the street. Geeze, these people know how to make others feel welcomed.

"Nate, she has nowhere to go and she has talent. You're just mad because she caught something you missed."

Silently I cheered for Sophie. But if I wouldn't have caught Nate's mistake I would have never gotten this far. So what if I hurt his pride a little, I knew what I was doing. If I wouldn't have pushed, the con would have failed.

"Sophie's right. Besides, she could be useful. I haven't see a kid who can con and thieve, not on her level. Imagine once she gets a little older how useful she'd be."

"Guys, she's fourteen. She should be in a home somewhere. Kids aren't meant to be con artist."

Finally I stood up and moved down the stairs. I don't know why they sent me up a floor so they could argue, it wasn't keeping in any secrets. Every single word they said I could hear clearly and I was tired of sitting back, unable to plead my own case. Sophie was on my side, so was Elliot, but I wanted Nate to see that I was worthy.

There I stood at the bottom of the steps staring at the five people most of which had their backs to me. Sophie and Nate were still in the middle of the room arguing in hushed tones. For a moment I stood there, beginning to change my mind about getting into the middle of this. Slowly I took a step back toward the steps.

Just was I was about to make a break for it, "Anna, you're welcome to be present for this conversation."

Taking a deep breath, I cast away the fear the boiled in the bottom of my gut and stood a little straiter. All eyes turned to me as I exhaled and leaned against the banister. "First of all, I'm sixteen, who can easily pass for eighteen or fourteen. Second of all, if I wouldn't have been at the docks when I was, we may have been in more trouble, and I'm sorry if I disobeyed your orders, I was just looking out for the team and the con. But if you don't want me to help you out that's fine. Don't do me any favors, I have other places I can go."

Other places I could go… New York, Italy, Mexico. I was a ghost to the world, a girl who barely existed. Being a ghost was lonely and the cool exterior was a front that I had created with for my own protection. These people were the closest things to friends I ever had. I had lived on my own, just surviving for too long. Some would say that I was young and had oppurtunities to change, but I had already chosen my lifestyle.

I was sixteen and only been to school until the ninth grade. I had my GED, and I was far from stupid. A large majority the knowledge I had came from life and the public library.

Sophie was fighting for me to stay and Nate was pushing for me to leave, but I just didn't want to get hurt anymore. So I pretended I didn't care if I stayed or went. I tried to lie to myself even. I've gotten good at that too, lying to myself. Saying I don't care if I don't have anybody. Saying I don't care if I sleep in the park again. Saying I don't care whether I live or die. But I did care. Deep down, the dark truth of my fear remained.

I had only been with them a couple weeks but Sophie had already taken a protective liking to me, and in reality I preferred to stick close to her as well. She reminded me of my mother at times, and even though it hurt now and then, I loved having her there. Even Parker seemed to like me some or at least saw me as some sort of play thing. She enjoyed testing me. Locks, safes, tall buildings.

Hardison liked me if only to keep up with him on videogames (but he probably was also impressed with my vast knowledge of Star Wars), and Elliot watched me as though he was a protective older brother. From the beginning, I knew this was temporary, it was supposed to be one case. That's it. Secretly, hoped to stay. I didn't want to go back out into the world alone, not after experiencing what it was like to have someone there. To know someone had your back.

No matter what I did Nate never seemed to care for me much. He looked at me like I was questionable and a threat. At first I pushed it off as a security thing, nothing personal, but it never went away even when I earn the other's trust.

Finally Sophie stepped closer to me and wrapped her arm around my shoulders. "Nate this is ridiculous. We could use her. She'd be just like another member of the team, like she was last time."

Nate ran a hand through his curly hair before throwing a dramatic arm out to the crew. "We don't need anyone else. We have the perfect team already."

The heat of her glare made Nate nervous, and her voice lowered into almost a snake like hiss. "Either she stays or you'll need a new grifter."

I looked up at her surprised. Her dark brown eyes were pushing for a fight that may only end in blood or sacrifice.

"Wait, Soph-" Nate took a step closer to us laying a hand on her arm and pulling her towards him.

She pushed him off. "You're taking your fear of feelings and pushing her out the door with it. I just hope you buck up before you lose me too. There won't be anyone there to pick you up after drowning your sorrows. You need us, we need each other, and that includes Anna now."

"I'm with Sophie," Elliot said moving from his place on the couch and standing next to us. I felt my heart flutter a little bit.

"So am I," Hardison added.

"Is there cereal with you guys?" Parker asked Sophie with the utmost seriousness. Ah, Parker and her cereal addiction.

Barely resisting an eye roll, Sophie nodded as I chuckled a little.

"Yup, I'm with them."

Nate's face was getting red with anger, but finally he threw his arms up and headed for the steps. "Are you serious? You'd leave everything we've made for a kid? She's a _child_. We could give her to DFS or something."

This caught Parker's attention more than anyone's. Her eyes glistened with emotion that was rarely shown, but she remained silent hoping someone else would say what she was thinking. Elliot also seemed to tense along with Sophie. Hardison, if anything, seemed to cower a little. The room was so silent for a moment that you could hear October breeze hitting the window making it whistle slightly.

Finally, Sophie reacted.

She shook her head as she took a threatening step closer to Nate. I could see the anger of her body. Tense shoulders, a slightly lowered head, deep breathing in attempt to control the fury that was burning up her insides.

He knew he had said the wrong thing, but there was no unsaying it.

"I hope you have a fucking bottle tonight to drown the pain, because if you make us choose we won't choose you. She stays, Nate. That's that."

Pale faced Nate tried to regain his composure, but was failing due to the death glare he was receiving from most of the group. I actually felt sorry for him. I knew he had already been drinking and I understood hit train of thought. Logically I knew why he didn't want me on the team. I was young and I couldn't magically transform into an adult for a con. Plus there was nothing I could do that the five of them couldn't either. So in reality I was more of a backup plan than a member of the team.

Finally he nodded. Sophie exhaled and moved to the door mumbling something about needing fresh air. Parker and Hardison went back to entertaining themselves with a new video game that Hardison bootlegs and Elliot laid a hand on my shoulder.

"You better head home before Nate comes down or Sophie comes back. I have a feeling it's going to be World War III," he said in his soft, strong country voice.

All I could do was nod and make my way for the door as Nate poured himself another drink.

Head home. Home. Lately home had been a bar that burned a few months back. The own hasn't gotten around to fixing it or even selling it. The damage was pretty extensive, but it was better than the cold. The side door was easy to pick the lock and I had set up a cot and some blankets there, even food. It wasn't much, but it was definitely better than some.

For a few minutes I just laid there, my stuffed bear held tight against my chest. Slowly, one by one, tears began to slide down my cheeks. It was nights like these that I missed my mother. I missed her more than anything else in the world. If she wouldn't have died, I would still be at home, safe, where I belonged more than anywhere else in the world.

But she was gone, and I was never going to get her back.

Something had changed since the team made a point to stand up for me the night before. Not with the team, just with me. It was like this panicky fluttering in the pit of my stomach hat made me want to run for the hills and hide under a rock. Perhaps I was afraid I would disappoint them. That they'd realize they made a mistake.

The day after, I couldn't even convince myself to go back. When I left the old bar, I found myself walking absently block after block, heading nowhere specific. I just kept walking until I was completely exhausted. Then I'd walk back and bury myself in the warm blankets on the floor and cuddle my teddy close to my chest.

The next day I repeated this process, and the next, and the next until I realize that if I didn't show up sooner or later that they'd think I had run out on them. In reality, I didn't even know where I was walking that day until I ended up in front of the bar below Nate's apartments. The team most likely was all gathered in his living room entertaining themselves.

I entered the bar with slight hesitation that didn't exactly fade when I saw Sophie and Nate sitting in a booth across from a young woman. They seemed to be in serious conversation, most likely a new client. The woman was redheaded, maybe early twenties, and seemed to be nearly frantic, glancing around continuously as she spoke in hushed tones.

I took a seat at the bar and ordered myself a soda. The bartender had gotten used to me hanging around and probably assumed I was a niece or something of the team's. I took a com out of my pocket and placed it in my ear.

"Anyone on?" I said softly holding the glass close to my lips.

"_Hey kid. Didn't think you'd come today. Little late are ya?" _Hardison's voice was playful and it automatically lifted my spirits.

"Sorry. Rough night. Know anything about the girl Nate and Sophie are talking to?" I asked glancing at her again and also catching the two men walking through the door. I had a strange feeling they weren't friendly.

"_Girl's dad died of a mysterious heart attack after discovering his boss was embezzling money,"_ The rest went unsaid but well heard. I nodded slightly to myself and went on watching Nate and Sophie, as well as keeping an eye on the two strangers.

"Elliot?" I whispered seeing the men take a seat next to me. Immediately I took my soda and moved to the booth behind Sophie and Nate. Something bad was about to happen. When I didn't get a response from Elliot I tried again. "Hey! Mr. Punchy!"

"_What?"_ He snapped clearly annoyed. _ "I was in the middle of talking to this chick with the most amazing-"_

"Don't care. Where are you?"

"_Book store two blocks over, why?"_Classic place to pick up women. He's probably wearing those damn glasses that make him look like Blake Shelton became a doctor.

I spoke a little louder and leaned back so Sophie and Nate could hear me as well. "I think we're going to have a little problem."

Sophie glanced up to the bar and saw the two men with trouble written all over them. Immediately she tensed and I caught a glimpse of her squeezing Nate's arm to confirm my suspicions.

The bar had maybe ten people in it and it wasn't going to take long- yep, they spotted her. The bald man nudged the other and jerked his head towards the girl.

"Shit."

As they stood up I could see Nate and Sophie contemplating a plan that stalled them long enough for Elliot, but I already had one. I stood up and "accidently" walked right into one of them. Stumbling back I looked up at them with mock shock.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

One of them just grunted and tried to push past me, never taking their eyes off the redhead. As they reached out for her, I quickly thought of plan B. These men were at least six foot and every bit of two hundred and fifty pounds. Fine, if I couldn't get their attention that way…

Without hesitation I picked up another man's drink off the bar and threw the two glasses in the men's faces. No doubt soda and whiskey probably burned their eyes, they were a bit angry, but it was a fair distraction. With two swift movements, I nailed each of them in the groin and watched them tumble to their knees.

Nate was ushering with woman to the stairwell with great heist as Sophie reached for me to come along, but the men were already recovering and reached me first. With my free hand I shoved my palm upward on the man's nose and broke for the door.

_Book store, book store, which way is the book store. _I took off right hoping it was the correct way. I could feel the men on my heels.

"Coming your way, Elliot. Two big guys on my tail," I said in a slight panic hoping I got to Elliot before they got to me.

As I rounded the corner I caught a glimpse of a familiar face. I stopped and crouched behind a newspaper rack, waiting for the show.

Elliot gave me a wink just before the first man rounded the corner. Without hesitation Elliots arm went out clutching him by the far shoulder and slamming him to the ground with such force I knew he wasn't waking up any time soon. The other man though was ready. He grabbed Elliot by the collar, but before he could get in a hit Elliots head flew forward into the others and down went number two!

I literally jumped from my hiding place and threw a fist in the air. "Woo hoo! That was great!"

"_Nice distraction, just next time be a little bit more careful. We don't need you dead, kid." _I smiled to myself. Nate had said that. Which meant he at least minorly approved of what I did. Maybe we were getting somewhere.

As I climbed the steps up to the apartment, I thought about how ready I was for another con. They always took my mind off of things, personal things. Pushing the door open, I was immediately welcomed by a smiling Parker and an oddly tired looking Sophie.

"Hey, I bet you can't pick this lock in five minutes," she tossed me one and slid me her lock picks. She started the timer and I began without reply. I could hear the sounds of Sophie and Elliot speaking in the next room, not that I could understand a word of it. Two minutes had passed and I was beginning to get frustrated with the lock. Each time I thought I had it, I'd lose it again. Finally Parker made a buzzing sound and looked triumphant.

"Wanna know what you were doing wrong?" she asked taking the lock from my hands and the lock picks.

I nodded watching her closely. "You were treating it like a normal lock, but this one's broken. When a lock it broken, sometimes you have to get it where it's just about to lock up again-" she squeezed the top of the lock down and turned the pick as though it was the simplest thing in the world, "you have to push, turn, and-" the lock popped open as her hand came off the top, "let go."

She handed me the now open lock smiling brightly. "Just because it's broken doesn't mean it doesn't work. You just have to try a little harder and sometimes be more flexible for it."

Before I could say anything, she skipped off leaving me there with the broken lock. Somehow it felt like I had a lot in common with that lock.

_So there you go. The next chapter is the beginning of a con. So tell me if you want me to keep going! Please review! Love always, Marilynn. _


	2. Let the Con Begin

_Chapter two, as promised. Thank you for the loving reviews and this is for you! Tell me if you think I should continue. _

The team gathered in Nate's living room, Parker and Hardison on the couch, Elliot, Nate, Sophie, and I leaning against the bar behind them.

"Randle O'Neil died of a mysterious heart attack earlier this year after threatening to blow the whistle that his very wealthy employer, Mr. Kevin James, was embezzling money from his company. He has a family of his own, two sons and a daughter and his wife Helen. After the man's death, James moved more towards his political interest."

Hardison groaned as a campaign picture appeared on the screen. "You have to be kidding me. _Kevin James for Senator! Together We'll Build Bridges!_ That's about as ironic as it gets."

"With money comes power," Sophie sighed shaking her head.

"We're going to be sure Kevin James goes down for embezzlement and doesn't represent anyone in Senate."

Nate began explaining the plan. It mostly revolved around a ball James was having as a fundraiser for his campaign. Hardison hacks, Sophie grifts, Parker steals, Elliot punches, and I… "Anna, you're with me and Sophie. You're going to be our sweet and charming daughter."

I literally groaned out loud, just proving how much of a teenager I really was. I could have sworn I saw Sophie smirk, catching my joke before Nate did. "Whatever you say, _Dad._"

Nate flashed me a look that had the smallest hint of humor, but at least we were getting somewhere now.

Later that day Sophie took me out to buy dresses for the ball. As we walked into what Sophie proclaimed to be her favorite store, she immediately went on a hunt, handing me dresses and taking some for herself as well. Stacy, a pretty young woman also seemed to be pleased to see a frequent costumer.

"You have everything Ms. Devereaux? Need any help?" she asked beaming at us both.

"No thank you, Stacy, I think we have it. We'll go back and start trying them on."

One by one Sophie and I tried on dresses, each time meeting each other just outside the dressing room doors. Lots of firm no's and "pretty, but-".

"So, where are you from?" Sophie asked casually from the dressing room over. I could tell she was just being friendly and trying to get a little bit more background on me, but I wasn't ready yet.

"Here and there," I replied unzipping a vetoed gown and trying to step out of it. I glanced in her direction even though there was a thin wall between up. "What about you?"

"Here and there in Britian," she replied almost teasing. Okay, that was fair. She seemed to hesitate a little before going on. "Where's your parents?"

This stopped me in mid reach. "Mom's in Woodview Cemetery and I never cared where my father was."

I knew Sophie made not of this, any one of us would have at a leak of personal information, but I also had a feeling it was for her own knowledge and not everyone else's. As I stepped out in a blue strapless dress, Sophie stepped out in a grey one. Both of us shook our heads.

Just as I was about to step into the dressing room, Sophie stopped me. "I know Nate seems a little stand offish, but he has a lot of history that haunts him."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Don't we all?"

Sophie looked at me with almost sad eyes. "Anna, if anyone understands why you want to pull away, I do. I've ran away from him, I've left them all, and it was the biggest mistake I've ever made. I know you don't feel like I can trust us, and I understand. But we're a family. You too now."

I tried to step back into the room but Sophie stopped me. I felt her shove something in my hand. A key chain with two keys on it.

"One of those is to an apartment on third, fourth floor, apartment five. The other is to my apartment. Anything is better than that old bar, and you're welcome to stay at either place anytime." Sophie gave me a soft smile.

For a moment I was frozen, just staring down at the extremely generous gift. The most generous gift I had very possibly ever been given. It wasn't a demand, it was an offer. More than that, it was true and real. It showed me she really cared, and that it was okay for me to care too.

My chin quivered as emotion threatened to bring tears to my eyes. With all the control I had, I swallowed my weakness and looked up at Sophie. She laid a hand on my shoulder and rubbed my arm as I struggled to find words.

"Thank you," I nearly whispered. Before any emotion could slip past my dam, I pushed the dressing room door open. Taking a deep breath and reaching for another dress, I forced whatever moment that had just happened to be over. I was back to Anna, the strong and cold teenage thief. The complete lie that I didn't feel something.

I was beginning to run low on dresses when I finally pulled out a red one that I immediately fell in love with. It was classy and elegant with enough flash for my taste. I liked it.

As I stepped out of the dressing room, wearing a smile of knowing I looked up at Sophie. Her dress was beautiful. It was a crème gown that had beading up the front and a brilliant lace embroidered with flowers to the bottom.

At the same time both of us nodded. "That's it."

Stacy met us at the desk and smiled when Sophie paid for the dresses along with jewelry and shoes, lots of shoes. A grand total of twenty-two hundred dollars that she paid for as though it was nothing. Part of me wondered if Stacy ever questioned where Sophie got all her money or just assumed her pretty face had her married off to a rich man.

I placed the dressed in the back seat of her car while she threw everything else in the back. As she took her place in the driver's seat, she glanced over at me. "Where are we going?" she asked.

It was obvious she was referring to the two keys I held in my hand. Truth be told, I wasn't ready to let anyone in. Trust me, I was beyond grateful, there was just something still holding me back.

"Will you please take me to the apartment on third?" I asked barely looking at her.

She gave me a soft smile a nodded.

Sophie dropped me off and waited for me to enter the building before she headed out. For a moment I just stood there, trying to decide whether I should head back to the old bar to gather my stuff, or check the apartment first. It would be a little while before it got dark, so I figured it was alright to explore my new sanctuary.

The elevator was quickly vetoed, and I mostly out of habit took the stairs. When I arrived at the door, I stood there for a moment. A partial fear made me want to go back to the bar and hold my teddy tight to my chest and draw pictures in the ash.

With another deep breath I inserted the key in the lock and pushed the door open.

A large TV sat in the center of the living room with an Xbox 360 and Blue Ray Player already hooked up. On the coffee table there were two controllers, one black, one red, and next to the TV was a stack of DVDs and games at least two feet high.

As I walked into the kitchen I saw a bar set up with plates and silverware. Food was already stocked in the cabinets, but it was easy stuff like canned soup, chips, and dry cereal. Lots and lots of dry sugary cereal. The fridge held bottled water and my favorite blue raspberry mellow yellow.

It was the bedroom that got me the most. The moment I walked it I felt myself suck in a breath. A laptop sat on the desk by the window next to a vintage desk light. A beautiful mahogany bed set went perfectly with the grey walls decorated with art pieces of my favorite cities around the world. My comforter was similarly themed. But what got me the most was my teddy. Already laying on my bed, propped up against the pillows.

I held him close as I continued exploring. Finally, I came across a list that was left on my table. It was of phone number and addresses of all the team members in case of an emergency, so they'd be there if I needed them.

If they were trying to prove themselves, they did one hell of a job.

"_Okay. Nate, you are Calvin Reed, hot shot business owner. Sophie, you're his wife Monica. Nate, you were on business in Europe when you guys met, fell in love, got married and along came Penny,"_ I nearly rolled my eyes, glad he wasn't cruel enough to keep the name Polly. _"Penny attends St. Mary's Catholic High School and is currently a sophomore."_

"Got it," Nate replied continuing our drive up the annoying long driveway of the mansion in the Mercedes.

The valet opened the door for Sophie and then for myself, offering his hand for assistance as I stood. Nate handed the keys over to the valet and allowed Sophie to take his arm. I on the other hand stood close but slightly behind Sophie as we climbed the steps.

At the door stood a large man with a clipboard. I wanted to laugh, what was this? And evening lounge? "Name please."

"Calvin Reed," Nate said confidently, even with a bit of heir to his tone.

The doorman nodded. "Welcome Mr. Reed."

The door was open to us revealing a beyond beautiful home. An orchestra played soft melodies as people mingled and some danced slowly on the dance floor. Waiters came around with trays of Champaign.

Sophie took one but eyed Nate when he did the same. I contemplated what would happen if I tried to accept one, but decided not to push my luck just yet.

As we continued further into the room, I discovered we were getting a lot of looks. Sophie and Nate pretended they didn't notice as we made our way to our seats. It didn't take long for Mr. James to find us.

"Hello, Kevin James," Mr. James extended his hand out to Nate first, who stood with Sophie.

"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Cal Reed, and this is my wife Monica and our daughter Penny," Nate said taking the man's hand and sending me a look to stand up.

"You're wife and daughter look so much alike. Olive skin, dark curls." He smiled and looked more intensely at Sophie. "Beautiful."

Sophie blushed, flashing him a smile only a true temptress could succeed using and Nate put a protective hand on her lower back.

"In fact, I think Penny should meet my oldest son." He glanced over his shoulder and beckoned to a teenage boy probably a couple years older than me. The boy was tall, well built, and most definitely handsome with his father's intense blue eyes and buzzed brown hair.

"Penny, this is my son Jason."

Without hesitation, Jason took my hand and brought it to his lips. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

I smiled pleasantly, though my thoughts were not nearly as polite. Jason took a step closer to me and lowered my hand back to my side, never letting his gaze stray from mine. "Actually, Mr. James, I may have a business proposition," Nate said keeping his hand on Sophie's back. Ignoring the hungry eyes she was receiving from several men in the room.

I rolled my eyes as Jason. "That's my father, constantly mixing business and pleasure."

Jason shot me a flirtatious grin. "I heard it was the best way to live."

Something about that statement threw me off, but we both turned back to our parents. Nate was just about to go on when a moderately attractive woman about his age latched onto his arm. The way Mr. James's shoulders tense, I had a feeling that he didn't enjoy his wife interrupting his business life or private interest.

"This is my wife Gene. Gene, this is Penny, Monica, and Calvin Reed," Mr. James introduced taking his wife under his arm. Out of the corner of my eye I caught Jason rolling his eyes.

"It's a pleasure meeting you, but we all better find our seats before they serve empty chairs," Sophie said sweetly sending Gene the most hospitable look.

Nate's hand fell to the small of Sophie's back and she guided my by the shoulder. If Mrs. Reed couldn't get in tight with Mr. James, Penny could surely get close with Jason. Glancing over my shoulder, I caught his eye and sent a nearly bashful smile. He responded with a wink before following his parents.

Plates were laid out in front of us. Steak and potatoes, something I hadn't had since mother was alive. The first bite tasted so heavenly I could barely restrain myself from shoveling it in like a starving dog.

Just as I went for my second bite I caught a glimpse of Mr. James following one of the guards up the steps. Parker was in the private office and Elliot was being kept out until later. So, looked like my steak and potatoes were going to have to wait until Elliot would make me some.

Without saying a word, I abandoned my seat next to chatting Sophie and rushed after the mark. As carefully about not being noticed as possible, I slid into a doorway behind Mr. James as he spoke to the guard.

"I don't care what you have to do; you tell the Changs that if they want their daughter back they have to pay just as much as anyone else. They wanted into the states, they need to learn how America works," James snapped obviously on the brink of a total loss of control. "I'm sick of this shit. Just get rid of her. Tell them their time is up."

"But sir-"

"My ships brought their foreign asses over here and if they won't pay, I'll just sell their little girl to the highest bidder."

Footsteps marched off back towards the party as I stood there for a moment in shock. James wasn't embezzling money from his company, he was using his ships to smuggle people into the country and using family as collateral. If I had to guess, I would say he was using the girls he kept for sex trafficking or slave labor.

"Oh shit," I muttered as the impact of what we have just gotten ourselves into hit me. "Ohhh shit. This is not good."

_Tada! What do you think? Please review! Love always, Marilynn. _


	3. The Same Kind

_**Okay, so back with chapter 3! Thank you for the reviews and keep them coming! I'm considering the next chapter being in third person with some Sophie/Nate scenes. By the way I'm thinking about placing this in between seasons 3 and 4 and having Anna join the missions along side of our favorite criminals. Either that or starting it in season 3… Idk. What do you think?**_

Immediately I regretted voicing my panic when the com went silent. Nate was the first to speak.

"_What's going on?" _

I ducked my head out of the doorway to be sure I was alone. "Well, we just had a massive game changer, we need a new plan. Plus, I really don't want to get killed by the pissed off rich man."

I almost felt everyone's heart rate rise almost as high as mine and they hadn't even heard the real problem yet. Sex trafficking and illegal immigration was a little more, ok, way out of our area of expertise. Well, mine at least. Then again, I'm not sure if anyone had ever dealt with this level of bad guy on our team.

"_Where are you?" _Sophie snapped, more in fear than anger. Without even having to see her I knew she was already on her feet scanning the room for me ready to drag me out of there by my ear and remind me that if I wanted to be on the team, I had to be a team player. Running after a bad guy without letting anyone know where I'm going, is a big no-no in Mother Sophie's world.

"Sophie, I've got this. Just have a lot of new information," I replied softly as another security guard passed the room I was in.

"_Okay, all I can find is a list of name," _Parker said taking some of the focus off of me. _ "All foreign last names. Russian. Chinese. I don't get it. There's no-"_

"Illegal immigration and sex trafficking. The late Mr. O'Neal definitely stumbled upon something a bit bigger than what he realized," I whispered glancing down the hallway one last time.

Abandoning my hiding spot, I rushed down the steps nearly colliding with Jason. He smiled at me as I took a few clumsy steps backwards.

"Hey, sorry. Are you alright?" he asked reaching out to help me regain my balance but I pushed his hands away and smoothed my dress.

"I'm fine," I said quickly before glancing around and laughed slightly. "I seemed to have gotten myself turned around…"

"It's easy to do here. How many houses have you been in that have a ball room?" he tried to joke and brag at the same time, obviously use to getting girl's attention with his father's money. The real me would have put him in his place in half a second, telling him that I had been in several, just never one with such a classless design, but Penny would find it fascinating.

"_Anna! Give us something," _Elliot demanded as Jason tried to catch my eye.

Finally deciding I'd play hit little flirting game, I smiled. "This is definitely my first," I replied adding a bit of a giggle that got his attention. "Where am I? The back stairwell?" There, the team knew where I was, but they needed more information.

Jason couldn't stop smiling at me as he rolled on the balls of his feet. He seemed almost a little sad though as he glanced down at his feet. "Not a lot of kids, I mean like our age, come to these things. Usually I'm bored out of my mind."

"_Sophie, meet her behind the stairs and get her back here," _Nate demanded, but I had another idea.

How cute, the poor boy was nervous. I rolled my eyes and took a seat on the stair, well out of view from the rest of the party. We were nowhere near the ballroom since I saw it safer to take the back staircase to return. "Parents suck and need to back off and let us handle things," I growled panned putting my elbows on my knees and my chin in my hands.

"_Ouch. I think she told you guys," _Hardison quipped obviously pleased with my antics.

"_Okay, but we'll be close," _Nate returned seeming to be in all business mode. I read the message behind his words. The silent _don't screw up, blow our cover, and get anyone killed_ was heard loud and clear. That was something about Nate, he never realized how good I really was.

Without hesitation, Jason took a seat beside me. "You have no idea."

Something about his tone had me interested, plus I was trying desperately to ignore the voices arguing over the com in my ear. All I knew was that Elliot was pissed and something about Hardison, not to mention Nate telling everyone to shut the hell up.

Leaning against the wall slightly so I could face him, I crossed my arms in front of my chest and raised an eyebrow. "Try me. My parents aren't exactly the greatest. A bit overbearing too."

He seemed so sad, it almost hurt me to push him. But I wanted to know if he knew anything about the business his father was in. The man who wanted to become a US Senator was felon, and the worst kind, an uncaring felon. Part of me was curious as to if his father behaved the same way in his own home.

"Do you know what it's like to know that your mother loves your father and your father only loves women. Women and money," Jason sighed a little and shrugged.

I almost laughed. The story was nothing new and it was one that I knew very well. A sad little girl and an awful situation. "Oh, I get it. Trust me. Where your mom rolls over and takes it while Dad just goes on. I've seen it, hell, I've-" I caught myself at a near slip of the tongue. As I looked back at Jason, he seemed to be staring at a spot on the floor with great interest. Leaning over, I gave him a playful shove with my shoulder. "Every family has secrets, in fact mine has its fair share, but what we kids do is swear to be nothing like them." Parents, but we both knew what I meant.

Jason nodded but still seemed unconvinced. "Easier said than done."

I shrugged. "Maybe, but definitely possible. Don't become a womanizer like your father and I won't become a 'functioning' alcoholic like mine."

Nate made some sort of sound in the com that I could tell he disapproved of what I said but I was making the connection I needed.

Finally, Jason looked up at me, his eyes almost cold. "I don't know. I kind of like my dad. He has his ways of eventually making us all happy."

The tone of his voice shot off a warning sound in my head. The vulnerability was a game. It was the way he got girls. Daddy's money and that little part of him that acted hurt by Daddy's antics. Now I just needed to decide whether or not I wanted to continue to play his little game

I leaned forward almost teasingly. "Planning on going into the family business of importation or sweet talking politics?"

"I'm nearly nineteen. I'm already working my father's importation company," he leaned in closer as well. "He's taught me everything he knows."

Raising an eyebrow I crossed my arm over my chest and challenged him. "Perhaps when I get the keys to my daddy's business we can do _business_ together." Shrugging my shoulders slightly. "I mean global transportation with a touch of the Reed technology and who knows what we could get."

Time was getting closer to bow out. I had him where I wanted him, but there was a line that was going to get blurry soon.

Casually, I looked up at the clock on the staircase wall. It had already been thirty minutes since I left Sophie and Nate at the table. But just as I was about to excuse myself I felt a hand touch my cheek and a pair of warm lips meet mine.

Nope. Game over.

Without thinking I gasped and jumped back, slamming my body against the wall and somehow breaking the main tie in my hair letting most of it create a mess down my back. Still, he didn't seem to want to let me go. One hand slid up my thigh as the other moved toward my chest.

"Get off me!" I snapped pushing him away as I attempted to stand up.

Just like that I created new panic throughout the com. _"What's going on Anna? Are you alright?"_

He was in hot pursuit as I struggled to pull my dress up high enough to make it gracefully down the steps. "Wait, Penny. Wait a second."

A hand grabbed my wrist and out of reflex I nearly broke his nose. "Let go of me," I demanded as he twisted me around to face him. He was just like his father. There was no sense of right or wrong. At least not enough of one to be heard over his own selfish wants.

Fine. I'd give him what he wanted. A challenge. I threw my hand toward his face making hard contact. The teenage want turned to anger so fast I didn't even see the blow coming, but it landed me hard on the floor with a yelp, covering my cheek with my free hand since his hold was still tight on my other.

"_Anna, I'm on my way."_ Never in all my life had I been so happy to hear Nate pissed off. I didn't care if it was at me or not. I just wanted to get away.

My body was on high alert and ready to break for the door the moment I was free and hope I can find the car before anyone catches up with me. At least before Jason catches up with me.

"Please, let me go," I said softly trying to stay calm and strong as possible. My mind was running every direction, most of which I didn't like. "I'm not mad, please. My parents are probably worried."

The anger in his eyes told me that this may not end well and to prepare for another hit, but instead he threw my hand down at me and walked back up the steps leaving me on the floor. Reaching for the railing on the stairs I tried to pull myself back up without stepping on my dress.

Two hands grabbed me from underneath the arms and helped me to my feet. "Sophie, we're leaving. Parker, get the car. We're taking the back way out."

It took less than thirty seconds for Sophie to meet us at the door. She immediately checked me over mumbling something that I couldn't quite understand. Finally Parker met us out front with the car. Nate took drivers seat while Parker sat on the passenger side and Sophie and I sat in the back. No one said a word until we got back to Nate's apartment.

I pretended I didn't notice Parker, Hardison, Sophie, and Elliot staring at me. The area on my right cheek bone was already bruising and a throbbing headache had came as Nate stood in the kitchen cooking something, but I was too tired to care too much even though I missed my original dinner.

"So Kevin James is transporting illegal immigrants into the US…" Nate continued but my mind was already elsewhere, too tired to stay on the task at hand. Sophie had let me borrow so comfortable pajamas that made it difficult not to want to go home and cuddle with Teddy. That big fluffy bed and the smallest touches of home I had added since I had arrived in my new apartment called my name but once again my eyes were already drooping.

I rested my head on the side of the couch, pulling my knees into my chest folding my arms around my sides. The rest of the briefing was completely tuned out as I dozed in and out of sleep. Stealing had kept me alive for the last two years. When Mom died I made sure I just disappeared. All I wanted was to be home again.

It was only a matter of time before they started to figure out the truth that I so desperately hid. In so many ways, I took after my own father, but I didn't want to become him. I was so good at stealing and lying because it was the way of living when my dad was around. He never cared when my mother died, but he hated the fact that his precious little mule was gone.

Kevin James was a man that in so many ways reminded me of my father, and Jason was a haunting image of what I could have become. Before Mom got sick, I knew that I was going to be the next in line to take over my father's business. Kevin James was a man that reminded me too much of my father, and Jason reminded me of my father in a way that I didn't expect.

The people who had found me, they were my team. They protected me and were on my side no matter what happened. We used each other but never abused each other. Still, I wished my mom was still here.

"That look like it hurt," a very insensitive Parker pointed out touching the bruise on my face and breaking me from my sleep just enough to allow me to sleepily listen to the conversation going on around me. "I think she should have hit him. Or stabbed him with a fork, would that have been an okay time to stab someone with a fork? I mean I know I got in trouble for it, but I didn't get something like _that_!"

"That's enough Parker, let her sleep," Elliot's soft voice hummed. He also sounded tired.

Sophie sighed as footsteps paced back and forth in front of the couch. "God I want to kill that boy. Even worse, I almost hate the fact I allowed her to go. I know she's good but she's still a kid."

The sound Nate made seemed more than a little irritated. "Sophie, she's not a puppy. She can be taken in and potty trained. So yeah, she found out a little extra information, but she got hurt." The was some sort of sound in the back of his throat before adding, "Besides, you're the one who wanted her to stay."

"Nate, the kid did good. She knows what she's doing. In reality you know that could have been much worse," Elliot added. "If it would have happened to Sophie, you would have beat the guy's ass in half a second, if it happened to Parker Sophie would have drug her out of there and let anyone have a hand at the man and you would be right there waiting for your shot. But when it happened to Anna you didn't let us go. Even if she did tell us to back off, you would have been telling anyone of us to get out of there. You kept Sophie from blowing her cover as well as yours and let a sixteen year old girl take a bigger risk than you'd let Park or Sophie."

I could feel the room go cold as Elliot challenged Nate. "I don't care what you think of that girl, but she allows you to use her and risks her life for your little game. You care about her, but we do."

The room fell silent and for a brief moment I wanted to open my eyes and see what was happening, but I didn't. If I had to guess, every member of the team was avoiding eye contact with each other because they all had the skills to know each other's thoughts by reading it in their eyes.

Finally I heard the exhausted sigh of Sophie

"I'll take Anna home with me tonight. She's probably still shaken up and she doesn't need to be alone in that apartment right now," Sophie stated.

A hand fell on my forehead and pushed my hair out of my face resting her warm palm on my cheek. "Anna, sweetheart, it's time to wake up."

Considering I had been decently aware of what was going on, I was surprised how difficult it was to open my eyes and come out of my restful state. Grudgingly I rubbed my eyes and looked up at Sophie.

"Sweetheart, you're coming to my place tonight," Sophie said softly, seeming to be slightly distracted by my disastrous curls falling in my face. "I'd feel better if you weren't home alone."

I stretched and shook my head. "No I'm okay. I just want to go home." Suddenly I blushed feeling Nate's hard gaze. "I'm sorry I fell asleep."

Hardison sent me a small smile without even looking away from his computer. "Nate's briefings are known to do that. Have you played Mass Effect 3 yet? It's intense."

I smiled at him even though it caused a sharp pain to shoot up through my cheek. This is part of the reason I loved Hardison; we could talk nerdy to each other. "No, I'm still on two. Side quests."

As Sophie rolled her eyes, I could have sworn I saw a hint of a smirk playing on her lips even though I knew she was not pleased with anyone or anything at the moment not to mention I knew the conversation about where I was staying tonight. Plus Nate was no longer watching me, just her. Sometimes I wondered if either of them knew what everyone else saw. By the way Hardison and Elliot talked they had some sort of complicated history.

"Besides. Dragon Age had been my addiction at the lately."

Even if Hardison and my conversation was just to lighten the mood, Sophie looked worn from the party and seemed more than anxious to get out of there. By the looks she was giving Nate it told everyone that in order to keep a war from starting we needed to leave.

Elliot rolled his eyes at Hardison. "Are you kidding me? You've got her playing video games? She should be out playing soccer or baseball. Actually, you should come play basketball with me tomorrow afternoon."

"Or you could play Halo 4 with me, you heard me. Halo 4, the one that hasn't even been released yet," Hardison pressed making me grin a little more.

"Or we could go horseback riding," Elliot pressed. "Or fishing."

Sophie and Hardison gave him a horrified look. "No girl likes taking a fish off a hook."

I laughed out loud. "Actually I love fishing. I used to ride my horse Shakespeare down to our pond and fish with my brother." For a moment I look at Elliot and Hardison. "He would have like you. He played sports and got me into video games."

And I missed him. Did I mention that? He was nearly twenty now and I hadn't seen him since Iwas fourteen. In fact I wondered if he was even the same person.Daddy used me as his mule and Cory for his muscle. When I left, he was the only person I wish I could have kept in touch with.

"Or I could take you shopping," Sophie suggested giving the boys a look that obviously said they were both crazy.

"Or!" Parker looked around at all of us anxiously. "I could teach you how to propel off buildings! I designed this new harness and I need to test it-"

"Parker," Sophie snapped in warning.

They all made me smile. They were so great to me. Still, I just wanted to be alone that night. Snuggle with my teddy and bury myself underneath the fluffy comforter.

"It's okay. Really. I just want to go home for now," I said in almost a whisper.

That was always my give away. When emotion was threatening to expose itself, I always found it hard to speak. It was like something closed off in my body and it wouldn't allow me to say what I was thinking sometimes. Not if the thoughts were emotional or showed a side of me that was truly vulnerable.

Finally, Sophie nodded. "Alright, I'll take you home."

Our goodbyes were brief and I barely received a nod from Nate. If only I knew that the reason I couldn't connect with him was because he and I were the same kind of broken lock.


	4. Coke

_Chapter 4! I didn't get any reviews on the last chapter… Maybe some reviews on this one? I have a lot of plans for this story. Reviews make it all worth it._

Sophie walked me into my apartment and scanned the room with a slight smile on her face. I had several comic books laying across my coffee table next to my gaming controllers. A fleece blanket was on the floor in front of the TV, evidence of where I sit while intently playing games.

Reaching over to pick up a comic, Sophie flipped through it. "Catwoman, Black Widow, Iron Man?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

I smiled at her and took it from her hands. "There's also Captain America and Green Lantern," I said pointing to a few more.

"Any particular reason why you read them?" Sophie asked with a bit of disbelief in her voice.

Looking down at them, I took the Catwoman comic from her hands and pointed at her. "Selina Kyle or Catwoman. A master thief that occasionally switched sides, when the reason seemed to fancy her. She was an orphan and learned to survive by stealing. Not very good with anything personal."

The twitch of a smile told me she understood. Selina Kyle reminded me of Parker. "And the rest?"

"Captain America is seemly unstoppable and protects what he believes in. He's a gentleman and an old soul, plus probably the kindest heart of all the heroes." Elliot. "Green Lantern is nothing without his ring, but with it he's unstoppable. He's smart and tough, but knows his limit." Hardison. I glanced up at Sophie and handed her a Black Widow comic. "Black Widow can find any person's weakness and discover anyone's plan with nothing more than words. She's my favorite grifter."

It was difficult to look up at Sophie feeling embarrassed about my connection through comic books. "But Iron Man's my favorite. He's a fairly normal guy who used his brain to become a hero. There is a piece in his chest that keeps him alive after something terrible happened to him. He needs it to survive, but it also fuels his super power suit. He may act like a selfish jerk, but his heart is normally in the right place, even when it doesn't seem clear at all. In The Avengers, he cares about his team and pisses each one of them off, but would give his life for any of them. Even in his most selfish hour, he always thinks of Pepper Pots. The woman he loves."

Nate was Iron Man, and he loved Sophie more than the rest of the team. If he didn't, I would have never been allowed near the team. Just because his heart was damaged, didn't mean it wasn't there, it just meant he was more afraid to use it.

Sophie glanced around the room to the single picture next to the couch. "Is this your mother?"

The picture was only months before Mom got sick. I still had my braces on, probably only twelve or so. Cory and Mom were next to each other while my arms were hook around their necks with a huge smile on my face.

"Yeah, and my brother," I replied coolly. "It was just before Mom got sick."

She only nodded, knowing not to push too hard. For a moment I studied the floor, working to push some of my emotions to the surface. "I really do miss them," I mumbled.

Sophie only nodded and rested her hand on my shoulder as I held the picture tight in my hands. Sometimes I wished I would have stayed, but Mom would have been disappointed if I did. It was best that I ran. Perhaps, it was Mom's hand that helped me find the team.

Her hand rested on my cheek as she looked at me. "I'm going home kiddo. If you need me or anyone, you have my number and you have a key." She leaned down and kissed my forehead. "Goodnight sweetie."

With nothing more she left, leaving me to crawl into my bed with a sore face and a headache. Silently I did the sign of the cross and said a prayer.

Sophie arrived in Nate's apartment only minutes after she left Anna. She had pulled her hair up into a pony tail, tired of fighting with the hairspray she had used for the dinner. The door was unlocked, as usual, and she let herself. And, also as usual, Nate was sitting at the bar drinking.

The bottle sat in front of him next to a glass. Sophie sat down and took the glass from in front of him and took a hard swallow. It burned as it went down her throat, but it was a burn she welcomed.

Nate finally glanced over at her with those beautiful blue eyes that she loved, but they were bloodshot from alcohol which she completely hated. Then again, she could never really hate him, could she?

"We need to talk," Sophie said coolly, not even glancing in Nate's direction.

"She reminds me of everything I lost," Nate said flatly. "She feels like a punishment, and it feels like I may lose you because of it."

Slamming down her glass Sophie clenched her teeth, closed her eyes, and took a deep inhale. "Maybe if you'd get your head out of your ass for two minutes you'd realize she's not a punishment at all. That maybe, just maybe, she's your second chance."

All he did was take another swig and continue staring straight ahead. Part of him wanted to believe she was right, another part of him was too guilty to believe that what she was saying was true.

"Anna is just as broken as any of us. Yet she tries so hard to get your approval and fears she'll never get it. You and I both know that our team is more than a team, we are a _family_," Sophie press finally turning to him. "You are an important part."

"What do you want me to do?" Nate snapped tired of her pressing. He was broken. He was scared. She was only a couple years older than what Sam would be and her determination and easily obtained friendship reminded him of Sophie,

Sophie rolled her eyes and clutched the glass tighter. "One of us will watch after Anna tomorrow while you and the rest of the team stop Kevin James. I don't think she needs to be anywhere near this anymore. But she can start fresh with us next time."

Releasing the glass, Sophie relaxes a little and become more of her gentle self. Slowly she slides her hand into Nate's and leans toward him where her mouth is right by his ear. She presses a soft kiss on his cheek and lays her head on his shoulder. More than anything she wanted him to feel the way she did, understand that Anna was special at least to her. Truthfully, Sophie never really saw herself as a mother, not until she became a part of this team. Each one of them were her children. Eliot, Hardison, Parker. All except for Nate. He was her equal, her true partner. Nate, through all his flaws, he was the one she needed most.

Nate knew it. On some levels at least. He had to because in so many ways he felt the exact same way. Anna completed the picture though. Her sweet innocence and refreshing mixture of confidence and need for reassurance. Still, if she was offered a normal life, she still had the opportunity to take it. That was another thing holding Nate back.

"Okay, but Anna is your responsibility. Specifically yours," Nate said calmly as Sophie took her head off his shoulder.

"Sounds fair," she replied standing up from the bar stool and taking the glass she had been drinking as well as the bottle. With the same flirtatious smirk she often gave him, she walked over to the sink and emptied both the bottle and the glass.

Nate looked like he was about to protest when Sophie came back over and kissed him sweetly on the ear. "I don't like it when you drink too much around my _responsibility._"

Nate was just about to comment when she sent a teasing smile over her shoulder on the way towards the door. "Good night Nate. Have fun with Anna tomorrow."

Not completely sure how I ended up spending the day with Nate, but I had a sneaking suspicion it was one of Sophie's ideas.

"So, what are we going to do?" Nate asked glancing around the street as though ready for something to jump out at him.

"We could go see a movie. Or play video games… Or…" I didn't really know. We weren't exactly anything to each other. Well I guess we were like a friend of a friend. Either way, it was awkward.

Nate and I walked together down the street. Sophie told me that I was off the job and I took the news with dignity even though I was less than thrilled. In reality, I had already done my part and I wasn't needed for the rest. Still, part of me felt like I had failed.

As we passed a private music store, I stopped and stared into the window at a beautiful mahjong cello in the window. It was so much like my mother's. The one that she would play and taught me to play on. The way she would nearly sway when her heart was truly in the music.

"Do you play?" Nate asked, when I finally noticed he had stopped beside me.

I shrugged. "Not as well as my mother. She taught me though. She taught me how to play piano as well."

There were days where we would spend hours in the music room playing and singing. She always giggled when I stood up and danced along with the music when I was younger. Eventually she put me in ballet too. Art of all kinds was very important to my mother and it was something even my father enjoyed watching us do.

My hand reached up to the glass as I imagined playing it. Pulling the bow across the strings and feeling the vibrations hum through the floor below my feet. Tapping my toe to keep the beat.

Nate had been looking at me closely. "Why don't we go back to the bar. I have an idea."

I looked up at him skeptically but nodded.

As we entered the bar, I followed Nate to the back room. He sat down at one of the tables with a drink in his hand. I frowned at him immediately.

"If your idea was to sit there and drink, I think I'd rather go home," I snapped irritably.

Nate just raised his glass to his lips before pushing another toward me. I glanced down at the clear liquid and tilted my head suspiciously. Granted I had never even tasted any alcohol before in my life and I was curious. In the couple of weeks I had watched Nate easily knock back these glasses as though they were nothing. Part of me wondered if I could do the same.

I raised the glass and sniffed. It smelled… different. Nothing like I had ever smelled before. The scent itself nearly gave me a head ache. Finally I lifted it to my lips and threw it back just like I had seen member of the team do before.

As soon as the liquid slid down my throat, I immediately regretted my curiosity. The burning liquid wanted to run back up my throat as I muffled a cough. Again, I regretted it. The harsh burning only worsened until Nate shoved his glass at me. Still choking, I pushed it away and shook my head.

"Drink it, its coke," he coaxed and handed it to me again.

Grudgingly, I put it to my lips.

When the cough subsided, the burning still remained. My eyes were still watering and I was obviously pissed.

I glared up at Nate through blurry eyes. As usual, he wore a stone face with knowing eyes. "Your main problem is that you always try and do what everyone else is doing. You watch how they do it and repeat. But," he lifted the now empty glass of my least favorite beverage, "that doesn't always work. Sometimes experience is the best teacher."

Nate raised the glass he gave me and drank it again. Coke, that was new. Not his usual drink. Once again, he read my mind.

"Sophie doesn't like me drinking around you," Nate said simply shrugging it off.

I couldn't help but smile at that. "I don't think Sophie likes you drinking at all, but now you decide to listen?"

Nate shrugged nonchalantly. "I didn't bring you here to listen to your opinion. I thought," he walked over to the small stage a pulled a sheet off of a beautiful baby grand piano. "I'd listen to you play."

The act was much kinder than I had imagined. The keys were dusty, but it was still well in tune. My fingers danced over the keys like they belonged there. I closed my eyes as my foot pressed the petals. I hummed the tune. I loved Debussy. Mouvement. It was fast, powerful. It almost felt like a chase at times. Imagined scenes to a silent movie moved through my imagination as I played.

Without waiting I went on to the next piece. I had an entire collection of Debussy somewhere in my old music room. A book in which I would play from beginning to end in a week's time. I had the order memorized. An adlibbed bridge to guide myself into the next peace gracefully.

The entire time I kept my eyes closed, until the ending of my fifth song came. My fingers were beginning to tire and I took a deep breath before finally opening my eyes and looking back at Nate.

Truth be told, I felt like I was on top of the world when I finished. Nate smiled at me and nodded. "That'll do, pig. That'll do."

I grinned at him and suddenly we both started laughing. I don't think I had ever heard Nate laugh before that moment, but I liked it. We weren't friends, but we were slowly getting closer. Music had a way of doing that. Guiding someone by the hand and showing them how to feel things they never knew. The goose bumps you get when a song truly moves you is the same way you feel when you realize that everything was going to be alright.

"So, how did it go?" Sophie asked as she entered Nate's apartment with the rest of the team behind her.

"I should be asking you that question." Still, he only shrugged and looked over to the girl on the floor of his apartment, curled up underneath a blanket with a stuffed bear held tight to her chest. "It went fine. She's a good kid."

Parker walked over to her and pulled the bear from her arms causing the girl to stir slightly, but only for a moment. The bear was a little dirty and obviously old. There were hand sewed stitching around the arms and a small area of the ear. The thing had quite the battle wounds.

Seeing what the thief had done, Sophie glared at her. "Give that back to her," she snapped not waiting. She pulled the bear out of her hands and laid it beside the sleeping girl.

The bear was quickly snatched up again, this time by Eliot. "Isn't she a little old to have a stuffed animal?"

"Hey! I have Bunny!" Parker defended, snatching the bear back away from him.

Rolling his eyes, Eliot stole the bear back. "Yeah, but you're Parker."

Again, Parker grabbed the bear. "So?"

Then it was back in Eliot's hands. "So it's okay for you to have stuff like that!"

With much aggravation, Sophie pulled the bear from his hands. "Enough! If Anna has a bear, she had a bear. She's barely more than a child and a stuffed toy can have a lot of importance to someone."

Parker nodded defiantly and marched toward the kitchen, undoubtedly for cereal. Still typing on his computer, Hardison seemed to have missed the entire conversation while Sophie placed the bear next to Anna once again.

"And it's done. We ain't going to have any more trouble form them. The FBI has officially received all the evidence we collected and we're done." Enthusiastically he threw his fists in the air. "Woo! Who's your daddy?"

"Shhh!" Sophie and Nate both snapped.

"What? Oh, I'm sorry. Don't wanna wake up Anna. I just-"

Eliot sent Hardison a hard look. "It's late. Let the kid sleep. Want me to carry her out to your car Soph?"

Nate quickly stepped in. "It's okay. She wanted to stay here. I took her back to get pajamas and her 'Teddy'. She just fell asleep there watching a movie."

Sophie looked over at him, impressed.

In wasn't much later when Hardison and Eliot bowed out, soon followed by Parker after she finished her cereal. Sophie and Nate sat in the room on either side of the couch. They were both thinking the same thing. The Italian.

The woman who had come into their lives and shaken up everything. Yes, she was partially to thank for getting Nate out of jail, but at the possible cost of their lives. Not to mention, Sophie hated her for reasons unknown even to her. Perhaps it was because she was kept a secret. Either way, she wanted her out of their lives.

Then her thoughts veered back to Anna. At times she worried that maybe she did make the wrong decision for her. That allowing her to stay was just putting her in more danger than she meant to. The man they were going after wouldn't think twice about killing her because she was a kid.

Nate also worried about her. She had skill and the talent of a quick study, but she lacked the experience of the rest of the team. Yet somehow, she was slowly becoming the heart of the team.

"She sees you as Ironman." The silence broke with Sophie's bizarre statement, but now all his attention was on his grifter. "Parker is Catwoman, Eliot is Captian America-" Nate snorted at that. "And Hardison is Green Lantern."

The confession hung there for a moment as he made all the connections. They were definitely there, and he couldn't help but smile at the way she saw them each as super heroes.

"And what about you?" he asked.

She glanced at him for a brief moment before looking back at the bundle on the floor. "Black Widow."

Sophie studied up on the character relation Anna had done. Black Widow was a fighter and a damn good one, something Sophie definitely wasn't. But as Sophie read on, she was more than that, she was a grifter and someone who cared about her team. In fact, she went out and bought a Black Widow comic. She wasn't sure if she would ever read it, but it always made her smile to know that someone thought of her as a hero.

Nate smiled at her before standing up and shuffling Anna into his arms. "I'm going to put her in my bed. You can take the couch and I'll take the floor."

"No, no, no. Just leave her there. She's a kid she can sleep on anything. I'll take the couch and you go sleep in your bed." When he opened his mouth to protest, Sophie silenced him with a raised hand. "Go."

Laying the girl back on the floor and headed towards the steps. "By the way, Anna doesn't exactly have a taste for tequila."

When Sophie raised her eyebrow he smiled. "Best way to make teach someone anything is through experience."

Sophie looked down at Anna and shook her head. "I told you I didn't want you drinking around her."

"I didn't, I had the Coke."

_So please tell me what you think! Reviews are muchly appreciated! Love always, Marilynn_


	5. Boost

_**So this is a really long chapter and it's based off of season 3 The Boost Job. Major spoilers. With the lack of reviews I'm tempted to scrap this, but let me know if you want me to keep going. I have lots and lots of plans for this piece. **_

A week passed and my piano secret had stayed between Nate and myself. He would sip his coke and I would play song after song. We had a silent deal. He wouldn't drink when I was playing piano. Parker had also started teaching me how to boost a car since we took on a new job.

The news video of the teacher almost made me smile. "He kinda looks like my old English teacher, Mr. Mayo."

Hardison looked at me. "You had a teacher named 'Mayo'?"

All I did was shrug. While Nate stood in front of the screen. He moved to the side of the bar and leaned in. "He's selling them dirt cheap, but I need to know how."

Hardison shrugged, pulling up more numbers and information onto the screen. "I don't know man. I mean he's selling these thing for twenty/twenty-five percent below blue book."

"It's easy to sell cheap when your inventory is stolen," Eliot added crossing his arms and leaning back into his chair.

For a moment Sophie just looked up at the screen. "But where is he getting the cars?" She glanced over at Eliot. "He's not nicking them himself."

Hardison nodded. "That's a good question. I haven't found out-"

"He's the distributer," Parker cut in looking down at the notes in front of her. "The supplier is probably a car theft ring. That way, cops trace a hot car to him he can say he got it from someone who is long gone. Besides the scam falls between state jurisdictions."

Every single one of us looked over at her. I was curious and impressed while the rest seemed almost a bit concerned. Tight lipped, she looked back over at us. "I was a car thief. That's how I know."

A humored smile appeared on Sophie's lips while the rest of them just shook their heads. I on the other hand was very interested.

"So you can teach me more than just how to break into cars?" I asked anxiously. "Like how to hot wire them and-"

"Hot wiring is too much damage and is obvious if you're going to try and sell them. They have this-"

Parker was cut off by a warning look from Nate. "So. Penzer is a big fish in a small pond. We need to muddy up the waters." He paused for a moment seemingly still in thought. "Hardison, you get us a base?"

He raised his clicker at the screen. "Yeah, Arts Auto Sales. Mom and Pop shop down the road from Penzer. Run by Art and Jo Bower. They've been in the community for decades but Penzer's running them out of busniness they're going bankrupt."

Partitually, Nate seemed to be in his own world as he turned to Sophie. "It gets awfully wet this time of year doesn't it?"

Sophie smiled and rubbed her arm as a chill shook her. "And chilly," she added with a small grin.

A half smile tugged on Nate's lips. "Don't you think the Bowers deserve a little fun in the sun?"

"A little R and R."

They both hummed in agreement while the other four of us just exchanged knowing looks.

All of us hurried of separate direction, ready to pack.

I was placed with Hardison and Parker while Nate and Sophie were also paired. Eliot was to stand in the background for the moment until we needed him. Sophie had sent the Bowers on a ten day paid vacation to Hawaii and Nate had just challenged Penzer to a race.

"Wanna help?" Parker asked, tossing me a wrench as she looked under the hood of the car.

I blinked at her. "I don't know the first thing about cars once you pop the hood," I informed her looking inside at the engine and all the other nicknacks that I hadn't the slightest idea of what they were.

Parker shrugged. "Watch. You're a quick learner."

She replaced some sort of nozzle and tinkered. Perhaps cars were nothing something I was going to be a quick study with. Finally she looked up at Nate as she wiped off her hands. "Alright, I changed the compressions on the pistons and opened up the valves."

Eliot appeared from underneath the car with another report. I on the other hand decided to back away and just watch.

Nate glanced over at me before looking at Parker again. "How's the local research going?"

"Good. I found out that a bunch of the local thieves work for a guy named Lefty."

He turned away as he pulled on gloves for the race. "You know how to find them?" he asked.

Parker nodded. "I've got some ideas."

Putting an orange tooth pick in his mouth he glanced around at his surroundings like he always did on a con. The skill he had that was beyond epic was his eye for detail. "Okay, when we're done here, that will be your main priority. Infiltrate their gang."

Parker nodded and glanced over her shoulder at me to be sure I knew what was going on. I nodded in response. My hair was tied in a French Braid going just the end of my shoulder blades but the sun was still hot in the black shirt and skinny jeans I was wearing. I don't know why I always had to play the groupie at times like these.

"Anna, go sit in the stands. You're done for now."

Busy taking in all the tents and the people, I barely heard Nate's order. Dad bought Cory a Shelby Mustang and I had seem his race it dozens of times. Mostly just with friends, but a few times on a real track. He was good too. Really good.

At home there was just dirt tracks though, so this would be interesting.

"Anna?"

I blinked and shook my head. "Oh, right. Sorry."

Nate definitely wouldn't have won if it wasn't for Hardison's little toy, but he didn't have racing experience. He took it turns to wide and didn't know how to use his break for advantage. Still, he won which meant we had the car, and step one was completed.

"_Oh, no. To me life is seizing opportunity. Live life to the fullest!"_ Sophie's voice had taken over the com the moment I put it in my ear. Her British accent had disappeared and turned into a bit of New York and Jersey. _"Drink too much wine. Skinny dip in the ocean." _She lowered her voice to at a bit of a seductive heir to it. _"Make love in a hammock."_

I looked at Parker and Hardison in the front seat. "Am I the only one who sees 'making love in a hammock' a disaster waiting to happen?" Both of them glanced back at me as I shook my head in confusion. "How in the world do you make love in a hammock?"

Over the com I heard Nate and Eliot both begin to laugh while Hardison turned red and Parker seemed to contemplating it as much as I was.

Still Sophie continued, obviously trying to ignore us. _"Do you know why, just as an example, why driving this care is like making love to a beautiful woman?"_

Faintly we all heard his gulped response. _"Because I've never done either before in my life?"_

Once again everyone began to laugh, I could even hear Sophie smiling, attempting to keep her composure. _"What? A cute guy like you? Well now's your chance. Just, just take a look. Who knows where it might lead."_

"Fifty bucks Sophie sells the car," I offered.

"_A hundred bucks the guy asks her to take a picture of her with the car,"_ Eliot added.

"_If Sophie did this full time, the auto industry's troubles would disappear," _Nate added obviously pleased with her work.

That was definitely true. Eliot and I were both right, but of course no one bet against us either. Sophie could sell ice to an Eskimo, hell, it wouldn't surprise me if she already had. But now, it was our turn to play ball.

I was to keep my mouth shut and let Parker do the talking, and considering we just stole a bad guy's car, I was going to obey.

When Parker and Hardison got out, I stayed next to the car while they went to go talk to someone.

Parker came back over and scattered her tools across the hood of the car. She was well equipped and I envied her knowledge. Hardison stood on her other side.

"So, car thief. How's that happen?" he asked as casually as possible.

Parker kept her eyes on her tools, laying them out exactly how she liked them. "I started when I was twelve." She glanced over at me as though to make sure I was still there. "I met this kid Kelly in the foster system. Four or five years older, taught me how to make a slim jim, ya know." Shrugging, she went back to her tools.

Still, Hardison wanted to know more. "So what happened to Kelly?"

Parker stopped what she was doing. Her eyes were glued down to the tools in front of her. "We boosted a bait car, heard the cops coming and ran." She glanced up at him before just shaking her head. "I never saw it coming."

Connecting the pieces, I looked away from her, feeling the pain she must be feeling. "He left you there," I muttered in disgust.

Parker looked over at me with a hard smile on her lips, the one that was only ever worn when she was trying to remind herself that it was over. "Never looked back." For a moment she studied me. "Spent six months in Juvi and never saw Kelly again."

A large man appeared from the garage, followed by a fair sum of people. Hardison immediately looked uncomfortable while I tried to make heads or tails of each person. Which people I could fight if I had to or at least out run.

"How is this going down?" Hardison asked watching them move closer.

"They're going to want us off their turf. We have to convince them they need us," Parker explained building up her own confidence, preparing for the confrontation. "It's not going to be easy, and they might shoot."

Without another word Parker took the lead while Hardison looked less than thrilled about the idea of guns. Not that I was feeling any better about getting shot at. Plus, Sophie would probably have had something to say if she wasn't already talking to Penzer.

I was impressed on how well Parker handled herself in front of these people. She stood straight, confident, and tall, ready to take anything he threw at her.

"You picked the wrong car to boost," he said simply but there was a threat behind his tone.

Our blond thief grinned at him. "No we didn't, Lefty."

The man stared at her. One eye mostly closed while the other seemed to be trying to size her up. The way his body leaned back a little I knew he saw her as a threat. That could be a good or bad thing.

"Who are you?" he snapped.

"I'm Danielle, this is Major," she said nodding to Hardison. She placed a hand on my shoulder. "And this is my sister Tish."

"What's up?" Hardison said plainly while I remained silent.

"We want in your crew," Parker said simply, showing absolutely no emotion.

Lefty shook his head. "We're full up."

For a moment there was a standoff. The little bitty Parker against the large man who was several inches taller, built three times as thick and wore a no nonsense mustache. Unaffected, Parker took a step closer. "You need us."

Hardison jumped in for back up. "We stole your car didn't we?"

Lefty laughed. "Anybody could steal that, but nobody's dumb enough to do it."

Parker pretended to pout. "Oh…" She glanced up at him with daring eyes. "Can anyone boost a car that uses a laser cut roller code transponder key?"

This seemed to spark his interest. He casted a question glance over his shoulder at another man who only shook his head. "That's impossible. Those systems are unboostable."

Her lips cracked into a smile. "We can do it in under two minutes."

Lefty nodded but looked at her in disbelief. "Alright. Show me you can steal an unstealable car." With aggression, he stepped toward her. "Two minutes."

And we were off. The gated parking was just around the corner. Parker acted as though she ruled the world as she entered the lot with Hardison and I close behind her. We all three gazed inside the care we were suppose to steal.

"So, how are you going to do this?" Hardison finally asked.

"Oh I have no idea how to break into this car. A screw driver and a coat hanger ain't gunna cut it," she informed us shattering both Hardison and my confidence. "Once we get in, I can probably start it, but getting in…"

"Wha-huh- wel- How are we gunna get in Parker?" Hardison snapped while I looked at the car trying to figure an alternative plan out. Or at least a place to duck when they start to shoot.

Parker raised her eyebrow. "You can hack anything with a battery right?" She turned back to the car. "You now have one minute-thirty seconds."

I wanted to laugh out loud at Hardison's panicked look. They were the car jackers, I was suppose to size up the team we were suppose to working with. Lefty held all the authority, but also looked to a large bald man for a second opinion often enough for me to make the assumption he was his right hand man. The rest of the team seemed rather scattered, nothing but your run of the mill thieves. Except, there was a girl that seemed only a little older than myself.

"Tish! Get in!" Parker demanded, pulling me from my train of thought as the car started. I threw open the door and slid in behind Hardison.

Left leaned his head into the window. "Not bad. You bring this to my shop and we'll talk." He looked towards his crew at the girl. "Shorty! Keep an eye on them."

She pushed her way past the boys and climbed into the car. Immediately Parker tensed up. There was a reason Nate put me with Parker and Hardison and it was because I was the people reader and this girl made me nervous with Parker around.

The car was silent, but just by the body language I was a little nervous. Parker was tense and kept glancing back at Shorty who seemed to just be timid around the three of us. She was connecting her history to Shorty and it was sending up warning signs.

When we arrived in the garage, it was obvious Parker didn't expect so many people. Hardison glanced over the top of the car at Parker. "We're gunna need a bigger boat…"

"_Parker, Hardison, Anna, what's going on?"_ Nate asked catching a hint of the problem.

"Trying to find out, stand by," Hardison replied as Shorty took a scanner over the car.

"Checking for a chip. Don't want cop radioing in on the signal we miss," Shorty explain before looking up at Lefty and handing him the scanner. "It's clean."

Lefty smiled. "Follow me."

As always, I followed behind everyone else. The place reeked of gasoline, burning metal, and body odor. I was sure Hardison was not enjoying it, and truth be told, neither was I. If Sophie would have gotten this end of the stick I could only imagine her reaction to it. Shorty and Lefty spoke to Hardison and Parker while I looked at the cars. All fairly new models and all in great condition. They were good at what they did.

"Does your sister speak?" Lefty asked, obviously referring to me.

"Not often," Parker replied meeting my gaze.

When Lefty walked away, she looked between me and Parker. "Girls don't boost cars. At least that's what they guys say. But you did really well. Does your sister boost too?"

Parker nodded. "She can do basics great, but she's new. Quick learner."

Hardison and Parker did the heavy lifting while I watched everyone else. They didn't like us. Except for Shorty. She seemed to think pretty highly of at least Parker. The way Parker took the girl under her wing worried me a little. The way that her eyes flickered at the mention of Shorty going to the docks tomorrow sent up even more red flags. Still, I kept my mouth shut. Parker knew better than to compromise the job.

Everything was set, it was time to head out for the night. We all headed to our separate ways home.

Still, I was worried. In my gut I knew something was wrong. I knew something was going to go bad. But I was a thief. As much as we were supposed to rely on our gut, we were suppose to trust our team. If it would have been just me on a job and I had that nervous feeling in the bottom of my gut I would have bowed out. You team always had your back though, and they'd never risk a job. At least, that's what I hoped.

Finally, I reached for my cell phone.

"Hello?" Sophie answered, obviously yawning. I checked the clock. It was a little after ten.

"Sophie?" I asked sitting up in bed and holding Teddy close to me. She needed to know about my worry. About my suspicion of Parker. Then again, if I was wrong, I could ruin whatever relationship I was building with Parker.

A panic rang though her voice. "Anna, what's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"Yes, don't worry, it's just," I sighed closing my eyes and throwing myself back down on to the bed. It wasn't worth it. Everything was going to be okay. "Oh, never mind. I'm sorry for calling."

"Sweetie, it's alright. Go to bed. Tomorrow evening we'll be done." She was trying to reassure me, obviously sensing my insecurities. "I'll see you tomorrow dear."

I hoped she was right. Tomorrow evening another bad guy would be in jail and we would be home free. I truly, truly hoped she was right.

"Goodnight Sophie," I mumbled already feeling sleepier.

"Goodnight, sweetheart."

Bright and early we all met at Nate's apartment. We were gathered around the table, already dress and in character for the final moment of the con. "Okay, the shipment should be arriving in about an hour."

"An hour and a half," Parker cut in, catching everyone's attention, especially mine. "They called earlier."

This seemed to throw Nate off a bit also. "Hm. Alright. That'll give Eliot more time to drop off the car." He looked over at Sophie. "It'll also give you more time to get Penzer down to Lefty's."

Sophie nodded. "And once he's there we call the cops."

Nate only replied with a nod. No, this wasn't going to work. I knew it wasn't. The time push back was confirmation of my fears. I wanted to say something, I really did, but I couldn't. If I said something now, emotions would run high and everything could be shot.

"Alright. Let's go."

Nate grabbed his bag and we all headed out. When Hardison got in the car, I grabbed Parker's arm and pulled out my ear piece. "You told her, didn't you?" I pressed. "You told her about the bust."

Parker glared at me. "She wouldn't tell anybody," she snapped pulling her arm out of my grasp.

I shook my head. "Would you have told Kelly?" I pressed trying to get her to understand. "No matter what you told her, she believes in those people. Do you understand?"

Still, Parker looked defiant. "She didn't tell them."

Rolling my eyes I reached for the door handle. "You better hope not."

Parker was silent and radiating anger. I knew I pushed her buttons, but I had to. She was the one that crossed the line, not me. This was her fault. If something happened, it was on her.

"What was that about?" Hardison asked finally, after several minutes of driving in silence.

My body was trembling with anger. "Why don't you tell him Parker?"

Before I could brace myself, she slammed on the brakes, sending me face first into the back of her seat. Probably should have worn my seat belt, especially with Parker driving. Thank God my bruise had gone otherwise it would have hurt even more than it already did.

"Get out," Parker snapped, unlocking the doors.

"Get out!" she shouted turning around to glare at me. "Get out! We don't need your help! We can handle ourselves."

I threw open the door. We were right outside the docks and she was kicking me out. "Fine," I hissed before looking over to Hardison. "If things look bad keep your head down."

Before I could even get the door closed Parker hit the gas. "Sophie, Nate, we've been blown. Parker-"

I touched my ear. Shit. My ear bud was in the back of the car driving away. Well… It looks like I needed to start walking.

"_Parker?" _Sophie sounded ill with worry as Parker took deep steady breaths to try and control her anger. The girl wouldn't have ratted them out… Then again, she probably would have told Kelly all those years ago. Still, Parker shook her head, ignoring everyone else around her. Everything was going to be fine.

They got out of the car, slowly. The place seemed deserted, not even the cars were there. Suddenly, three men came out of the shed, all carrying gun. "Go!" Parker screamed taking off.

Only a couple of miles away, Nate looked up from his desk. "What?" He could hear gun fire even through the coms. He took a deep breath putting down his coffee. "Okay. Parker, Hardison, Anna, hold tight. Eliot?"

There was no response. Every member of the listening team hearts were beating unbearably fast. This was not good.

They were blown and they all were going to die if they didn't get out of there fast. Sophie. Sophie was in trouble too.

"Okay Soph, you have to get out of there," Nate demanded really beginning to panic.

"_Excuse me, I-I just have to use the lady's room-"_ Sophie suddenly got very quiet. Nate could hear Penzer command her back into her seat.

That was it. Nate stood up and headed for the door. "Sophie, I'm on my way. Anna, Parker, Hardison, I need your help."

"_You need our help?" _Hardison snapped as he panted. _"They're shooting damn it!"_

A much softer voice came over the com. _"And we don't have Anna," _Parker mumbled.

This stopped Nate in his tracks. "What?"

"_I dumped her just outside the docks. But she's not responding on the coms," _Parker sounded as though she was about to cry. _"She was trying to tell me I messed up, and I did. This is my fault."_

"Everything's going to be fine. Anna is fine. Now Sophie I'm headed your way."

When I heard the gun shots, immediately I panicked. My heart dropped to my stomach as I ducked behind a bunch of crates. My mind was racing. I needed to help them, but how?

I glanced around searching for something, _anything_ that could help me. A single car speeding my way. Without thinking, I jumped infront of it and watched it slam on the brakes. It stopped inches in front of my knees.

It was Shorty.

Anger boiled in my gut as I walked over to the driver's door and threw it open. I grabbed her by the shirt and pulled her out of the car. She was staring at me, horrorstruck. "This is your fault!" I snapped slamming her against the car. "She was trying to help you and they could be dead! My family could be dead!" I snapped pushing her against it again. "And if they are," entire body was stiff with anger as I got nose to nose with her. "I'll make you wish you were never born."

I let go of her and climbed in the driver's seat. "Get in the back!" I demanded, not waiting for her reply.

By the time I reached the dock, the three member of my team were standing around several unconscious men. I rolled down the window.

"Are you going to stand there or get in?" I snapped unlocking the doors.

The three of them jumped into the car. Parker took the wheel while I slid over to the passenger seat. Eliot looked like hell and Hardison looked less than enthusiastic as well. Still, Shorty looked afraid to move.

When we got on the freeway, Parker finally spoke. "You know I was trying to help you. You weren't suppose to tell them."

Shorty looked as though she was about to cry. "I didn't know that! And I didn't think they'd try and kill you."

Hardison shook his head and stared at the Parker. "Wait, hold up. You _told _her?"

"Hence the argument this morning," I groaned.

"And you _knew?_" Eliot snapped glaring at the both of us now. "You're a menace Parker! And Anna, you should have told us!"

"She disserved a chance!" Parker defended.

"And what was I suppose to say? I think Parker screwed us over? Yeah, I don't think that would have gone well considering I've been here for about a month."

Hardison just stared straight ahead and shook his head. "Oh Nate's going to kill you. Kill you both."

"I'm going to kill you!"

"Stop whining!" Parker snapped taking a hard right.

"I got hit by a car!" Eliot shouted, ready to strangle the both of us.

"I got hit by a car!" Parker mocked. "Get over it!"

Eliot seemed to nearly be glowing with anger and if there wasn't already so little room in the car I'm pretty sure he would be reaching out to strangle her right then and there. "I'm going to kill her man. I'm going to kill her!"

Hardison raised his hands in attempt to calm everyone. "Hey, hey, hey. Nobody's going to kill anybody!" Then he paused and looked back over at Parker and me. "But seriously Nate's gunna kill ya."

By this time Shorty had become extremely confused. "Wait! Wait! Who are you people?"

Parker and I both shot a look from hell back at her. "We're the good guys!"

Again, we took a hard turn sending Eliot and myself against the window. Already pissed off, Eliot was ready for her head on a platter. "Where did you learn to drive?"

"Before I boosted cars I was a getaway driver," she said simply.

Hardison looked at her with disbelief. "Before? You started stealing cars when you were twelve!"

Parker laid on the horn and yelled, "Get out of the way you old bat!"

And this was the moment I was decently sure I was going to die.

Sophie and Nate paced back and forth in the office trying to seem like they were whispering to each other when in reality they were trying to see if anyone was on the coms. Sophie reached for Nate's hand and squeezed it. "This is bad Nate. This is awful."

He knew she was right. They were alone in the middle of a con going bad and they were running out of options.

"Everything's going to be fine, we just need to-"

At that moment Eliot walked in.

All six of us stood in the other dealership. Sophie had already done her minor motherly freak out and I found myself looking out the window at the lot of cars. Nate was mad. He was mad at the both of us. Parker for telling and me for not. We both put the team at risk.

"Anna, Parker," Nate finally called making me drop my head and squeeze my eyes shut. I slowly walked towards him, not raising my gaze until I was directly in front of him.

Sophie leaned against the side of the car next to him, keeping her eyes down as a way of showing that this was a punishment in which Nate would decide the consequences. I knew she was pushing for him to be easy on us, but I wasn't exactly sure how easy that was going to be.

He looked down at both of us. "I need you to help me with something."

Parker helped Josie (Shorty's real name) get out of the bad crowd. That was Nate's penance for her. My sins had yet to be reconciled, but I was rather curious as to what I had to do for my own forgiveness.

We all sat down to dinner at the bar. Eliot drinking a bottle of beet, Parker and Hardison drinking water, Sophie sipping on red wine, and Nate drinking his brandy. Sophie frowned at him as he knowingly disobeyed her wishes to drink around me. Still, the moods were light. All of us just happy to be alive.

Nate and Eliot went back and forth as Sophie lightly teased Hardison about taking down the "little guy". But as dinner came to an end, Nate passed me a folder across the table. Sophie looked over my shoulder interested.

Everyone watched as I opened it and took out several pieces of sheet music. I looked up at him and smiled. "You want me to play this?"

He also smiled. "That is what I need your help with. I certainly can't play it. But more than that, I'd like you to sing it."

I smiled and nodded. Everyone followed me into the back room. The intro was almost too easy, so I decided to add a bit of flair to it.

"_I see tree of green, red roses too. I see them bloom for me and you. And I think to myself: What a wonderful world."_

I looked out at the five people watching me and a lump grew in my throat. Tears were building up behind Sophie's eyes and Nate was watching me with a pride that I had never seen in my own father's eyes while he sipped on Coke instead of brandy. Eliot and Hardison watched in amazement while Parker seemed to almost be swaying with the song.

"_I see skies of blue, clouds of white. Bright blessed days, dark sacred nights. And I think to myself: what a wonderful world. The colors of a rainbow, so pretty in the sky. Are also on the faces of people going by. I see friends shaking hands sayin' 'How do you do?' They're really sayin 'I love you.'" _

And I did. I loved them. They were my friends, my family, and my home. This is where I was going to stay.

_**So there you go! Please tell me what you think with a review! Love always, Marilynn.**_


	6. A History Lesson

_**Chapter 6. The first part is a bit rough, but it was nessicary for at least someone to know her back story. And thank you Allanna for being a loyal reader!  
**_

Parker had been spending more time with me since we had our little spat. She apologized for throwing me out on the side of the road and I apologized for acting so harshly towards her. We had grown centimeters closer.

We sat on Nate's living room floor picking lock after lock after lock. It was a fun pass time. All of a sudden she said something that caught me off guard. "So, you have a brother?" she asked as another lock clicked.

Sophie's body language told me she also was now paying attention even though she was still laying across the couch with a book in her hand.

"Yeah, Cory," I muttered trying to go back to focusing on the locks.

Parker clicked opened another one. "Me too. "

We both suddenly looked up at each other. Our eyes connected reading each other's pain. "Where is he?" she asked me, not caring that our conversation was pushing past the boundaries of our past lives.

"Probably working for my dad," I nearly whispered. "He became just like him when Momma died." My voice was wavering, my slight country accent surfacing. But for a few moments I felt like it was okay to let my guard down. It was just Sophie and Parker. "What about your brother?"

Parker glanced up at me. "Died. He was younger than me… He was hit by a car on his bike."

Sophie tensed. I looked up at her. I didn't understand. "Why are you telling me?" I asked sounding almost annoyed. It was one of my defenses, but I tried to make self more open at the same time.

"Because, I don't want anything to happen to you," she replied. She looked down at her hands and handed me another lock. It was the one that was broken. The one I could never open. "Will you tell me about your family?"

I blinked at her. "What would you like me to tell you?"

Parker looked up at me. "I want to know why you're like me. Why you're broken too." The sound of her voice cracking made me nearly lose it.

I looked down at the lock in my hands and started picking the lock. "Dad was… bad. He never liked me very much. He said I wasted my time with music and dancing. That I was too smart and I could go far in his business. Momma tried to protect me from him but he still got to me and used me. I was good at what I did, I could act and I could lie." The words were hissing through my gritted teeth as I continued. "And when Momma got sick she couldn't help me anymore. He took me away from her and told me that it didn't matter if I was there or not because I couldn't stop her from dying."

My hands began to work faster as anger made me breathe harder. There was a reason I didn't tell this story. I didn't like feeling it. Remembering the pain my father pushed on me. "I wasn't there when she died. I wasn't there when she was buried." I was struggling to calm my breathing, and my quivering chin reminded me I was close to tear. "She asked me if I could play at her funeral and I didn't even know she died until two weeks after they buried her."

"I _screamed_ at him. Told him I hated him. Told him I wished he would just let me leave." I dropped the lock, tired of fooling with it. I threw my fists against the floor and stared down at it. Feeling like at broken lock would never open for me. "And he let me. He ripped Mom's necklace off my neck and told me I was not his daughter anymore. I ran to Cory and he walked away. My daddy used me for years, and then threw me away."

I folded my arms around myself as my tears burned hot behind my eyes. "Teddy was the only thing I managed to sneak out with me. And my father threw me away. Daddy threw me away." Tears were streaming down my face. Sophie had abandoned her place on the couch and hand her arms wrapped around me, holding me tightly to her body and I rocked back and forth.

"Shh," she cooed trying to calm me as violent sobs shook my chest.

Parker sat beside me and petted my head. The three of us sat there for well past a half an hour, all crying.

Before I met them, I was just trying to survive with the skills I had. The skills that I had learned from my father. But now, he was my motivation. To take down every son of a bitch like him. And one day I would take him down with the very skills he taught me.

TWO DAYS LATER

"Sophie can we get a dog?" I asked as we walked down the steps to the bar, Nate had a new client and Sophie was already suppose to be there, but we got caught up in with one of her art quizzes that involved telling her the name of the art, the artist, and whether or not it was stolen.

Sophie glanced over at me. "We travel a lot, do you really think that would be fair to a dog?" she questioned pushing open the door to the bar.

I frowned at her, but I knew she had a point. All I did was shrug as she held the door open for me.

The man at the table was probably in his early forties. His hair line was receding and his eyes were rather small. He was sitting down, but already looked like he would stand taller than Nate. As Sophie and I neared, he turned his attention to us.

"These are another two member of my team, Sophie and Anna," Nate introduced as Sophie took a chair. Hardison was already sitting beside the client with his phone hooked into the computer. I flashed him a brief smile while Sophie looked down at the phone.

The man looked at her, very close to tears. "They just told me when the phone rings, answer it and do as they ask."

Sophie raised her brow as she reached for Nate's water. "And if you don't?"

His gazed squared up with hers. "They kill my children."

This sobered Sophie up. Nate looked across at the man as I ordered myself a Coke. "You install and repair telephone lines for a living?"

The man nodded. "I currently have three major contracts. If I get in trouble I lose everything."

"And you have no idea why they specifically targeted you?" Sophie asked as though just to be clear. I felt her glance toward me as I stepped in between her and Nate.

The man shook his head desperately. "No. I'm not perfect," he said sadly. "But I try to be a good man. My parents came to Boston to get away from this kind of thing. Russians hurting Russians. If I contact the police they'd know. But I've been to this bar before and you," he looked across the table at Sophie and Nate, "you're not cops."

Nate gave the man a half smile. "No, we're not cops."

Hardison handed a red cell phone to Nate. "Cloned."

Nate nodded and offered it back to the client. "If this phone rings, I want you to answer it." Nate reached for his coffee. "We'll contact you."

The man nodded and reached across the table to shake Nate's hand. "Thank you Mr. Ford."

Nate nodded while Sophie gave the man a brave smile. "We're not going to let anything happen to your family."

He smiled at her then looked up at me. "Thank you. I hope nothing happens to yours either."

We all watched as he left the bar and I quickly took his seat ready to hear the next step. Hardison was typing while Sophie and Nate both looked deep in thought. In Missouri, at least where I was from, there were _no_ Russians. All my classmates thought it was cool that I was Italian. My father moved to America when he was young and my mother was born here, and I had never even seen Italy.

Finally, Hardison broke the silence. "I put a tap on the phone. There is only one call received." He grinned up at the mastermind. "Should I call it back?" Instead of waiting for an answer, he went ahead. It rang a hand full of times before a man with a thick Russian accent answered.

"This is (some name I couldn't understand with such a thick accent)." Pause. "Ello?" A couple of seconds passed before the call ended.

Hardison turned his computer around pleased, reveal a map with a little yellow dot in the center. "Marco… Polo."

Nate nodded. "Okay, Parker and Eliot, Hardison's going to tell you where to go."

Something about a bunch of angry Russians interested me. "Can I go?" I asked eagerly.

All three of them at the table looked at me like I was crazy. "No!"

I pouted a little and went back to drinking my Coke. Sophie finally sighed. "You are with me and Nate, but you are not going anywhere near the fighting. The Russians can snap you like a twig."

Still, I pouted a little. "But Parker got me a taser!" I proclaimed. I really wanted to test it out on some bad guys! Man… maybe Parker was rubbing off on me a little too much. All three of them at the table stared at me like I had just flown off the handle bars.

Finally Nate shook his head. "Dare I ask what else she's been teaching you?"

I smiled slyly and held up a wallet. Hardison glared at me then pulled it out of my hands. "Damn it! It's like having two Parkers!"

Hardison stormed off while Sophie grabbed her coat. Sophie once said that Parker and I were a lot alike. Both of us were raised criminals. She was raised as a thief and I was raised as a grifter. Just because they were our main skills didn't mean they were the only thing we could do. That's why Parker and I started helping each other. I was giving her lessons on body language while she taught me to pickpocket and crack safes.

We both were getting good.

"No tasering Parker!" Nate demanded as Sophie and I walked down the sidewalk following a group. "Not yet anyway."

Sophie shivered as she glared at the men in front of us. "I hate this kind of criminal," she mumbled.

Nate cast a look at her, but only for a brief second, careful not to miss anything from the group in front of us. "I stole art from rich guys who can afford it! These guys, they terrorize their victims, the hurt families. And the worst part? They make innocent people commit crimes."

Casting her a questioning look, Nate smiled. "That's the worst part?"

"You blackmail and innocent man into breaking the law, the rest of his life he's going to feel shame over how you made him feel helpless or guilt over what you made him do." She glanced down at me, as though realizing something almost sad. Finally she looked back up at Nate. "You and I chose crime. Some didn't."

I knew what she was thinking, and it worried me. So I didn't exactly choose crime either, but I was good at it. And truthfully, I enjoyed it. Living as a ghost in the world gave you possibilities that no one else had. How many sixteen year olds can say they brought down a drug lord, or a car lot that sold used cars, or knew how to crack a safe, boost a car, and tell by the way someone's nose twitches if they believed you or not.

Yes, perhaps I was cold for not feeling guilty about what I did, but truth be told not feeling anything wasn't anything new.

"Nate, can I have a dog?" I asked suddenly, earning me a stern look from Sophie.

"_A dog? Oh can we get a dog? Please?"_ Parker asked over the com obviously too excited for her own good.

Nate looked down at me with just as harsh a look as Sophie. "Not now guys. Focus."

Sadly, I nodded and went back to following the men in front of us, keeping quiet and close. Sophie had a tight hold on sleeve of my coat as we rounded another corner. She was stiff, obviously in thought. Again she glanced up at Nate.

"Promise me we're going to take these guys done hard," she muttered in disgust.

Nate seemed almost too focus to reply. "I promise- where are they going?"

It was then that I realized where we were. Back in front of McRory's. All of the men entered the bar making Nate and I both very nervous. Something was about to blow up in out faces.

Sophie on the other hand hadn't noticed yet. She was still in thought. "I mean I want to be exciting and dramatic!"

I looked up at her. "Sophie, you may very well be getting what you want. I just don't know if that's good of bad."

Nate took a deep breath. "They reverse the phone tap. We're blown."

Sophie looked at the bar in horror. "They're going to kill Hardison…"

"_They're gunna kill who?"_ Hardison asked, going into his panic mode. Thing began ruffling in the back ground. _"No they ain't! I betcha they ain't!"_ He fell silent. _"Nate you better stall!"_

"I'm thinking!" Nate said still standing at the corner.

"_Wow… My only way out is the front door," _Hardison said through the com. _"They comin' through the front door?"_

Nate seemed to ponder this a moment as the rest of the men entered the bar. "I don't know," he said distantly. Sophie took the lead toward the bar with me hot on her trail. Nate tailed.

Hardison did not like that answer. _"What do you mean you don't know. I swear on my momma I will blow a hole out your bedroom and Spiderman out the side of this building. Tell me somethin'!"_

Sometimes even in the worst situations, Hardison made me smile. "There's a taser underneath the coffee table on the right side. If worse comes to worse use it and we'll get to you."

Nate and Sophie both looked at me with questioning looks. "You and Parker have tasers _hidden_ around my apartment?" Nate asked in shock.

All I could do was shrug and smile as we entered the ally beside McRory.

"_Oh yay a taser!" _Hardison mumbled sarcastically. _"Yeah, this taser will save me against three Russians with guns!"_

I frowned. "I counted four."

Sophie wacked me on the arm and gave me the look that plainly said "Not helping!" Sophie approached the back door and slowly opened it, peeking her head in. Immediately she turned around to look at Nate.

"What?"

"You're not going to like this…" she said pushing the door all the way open and stepping inside.

Our back room had been obviously taken over by someone else. There were two chalk boards in with notes scattered across them and plates that sat on the counter than all of us knew better than to leave. Plus the piano had been pushed off to a corner with a white sheet thrown back over it. Sophie was right. I didn't like it.

"Somebody's been eating our porridge," she snapped glancing around the room at blueprints and spread sheets. She was not a happy camper either.

Nate showed absolutely no emotion as he took dangerous strides to the main bar. We all stopped when we saw the Russian's standing in front of a grey haired man with his back towards us. If possible, I was sure Nate just became a little more pissed.

"_Nate?"_ Hardison questioned.

Pulling him out of his train of thought, Nate turned back to the group and Sophie and I followed. "Hold on, Hardison. They're not here for you."

I could almost hear Hardison do a jig in relief. _"Yea. Yeah, I knew it. No one can reverse my phone taps, come on man. I don't see why ya'll were getting all excited."_

Sophie rolled her eyes. "I'll remember that next time it looks like your life is in danger."

Nate stood there, thinking while I casually glanced around the bar before deciding to take a seat not very far away from the grey headed man. Sophie sent me a death glare when she realized what I had done.

"And I stuck my gun against the man's chest and I said, 'Do you realize who you're dealing with?' Obviously they didn't."

"_Nate, this guy is just another one with a red phone,"_ Eliot said over the phone after going after a mob lord.

"_I know. I'm going after their boss right now. Sophie, Anna, go on."_

It wasn't a request it was a demand. I pouted slightly and stood, but was stopped by someone grabbing my arm.

"You look a little young to be in a place like this," the grey haired man informed me looking me over.

Sophie stopped moving and now Nate was plainly staring at me waiting for my next move. "There's no age requirement in an Irish bar," I reminded him sitting at the bar stool next to him. Something about him looked familiar, but I was sure I had never seen him before.

The man gave me a cool smile. "You look like a smart girl. What do you say we play a game?"

I stiffened. Something about old men who requested to play a game with a sixteen year old just didn't seem right. Sophie read my body, just like I would have done to anyone. My body was stiff and frigid.

"_Anna, he's not going to hurt you. Play the game," _Nate commanded.

My faith was in Nate. That's the way the team had to be. We had to trust each other. I turned around and sat on the barstool next to him while he waved the other men off. He laid three cards on the table. Two black jacks and a queen of diamonds.

"Keep your eye on the queen," he said as he turned all of them back over. He slid them around, stacking, unstacking, sliding, switching. Then he looked up at me. "Which one's we queen?" he asked me.

"_Anna-"_

I grabbed the old man's wrist and reached into the his sleeve with two fingers. Revealing the queen, the old man seem impressed, but I was just angry.

"If you're going to cheat, don't cheat a girl with eyes," I snapped slapping the car on to the table.

The old man laughed. "How old are you, girl?"

Crossing my arms I leveled my gaze. "Sixteen. Why are you in my family's bar?"

This got his attention. He raised his eyebrow at me. "As you said this is an Irish bar. That skin, those eyes, and that curly hair. You're as Italian as they come."

I smirked at him. "Says the Irishman working with Russians."

He laughed again. For some reason I like his laugh even though it was cruel and almost forced. It was a laugh that held power and knowledge. Then I made the connection. _It was Nate's laugh._

That was Nate's chin and Nate's nose. There was no longer a secret. He slapped my back and slid me his glass which I ignored. Mr. Ford slapped me on the back. "I like you. It took my son years to finally see what you saw the first time."

Giving him a cool smile, I shrugged. "It's my job to make connections, Mr. Ford."

_**Please, please, please review. Love always, Marilynn**_


	7. Jimmy Ford

_**Sooo Chapter 7. Loved the reviews! They made me so much more motivated! Hold on tight for some interesting turns!**_

This seemed to stifle his laughter. He glanced around the bar, and for the first time, I realized Nate and Sophie had left.

"Who do you work for?" he demanded leaning in closer to me to be sure our conversation stayed private.

I could hear Sophie and Nate arguing in my earbud, but I tuned them out. "Doesn't matter. What does matter is whether or not you want me work for you."

"That's enough, Anna," Nate said, appearing behind his father. "Go on." He threw his head over his shoulder to signal me to go upstairs and be a good girl.

I pouted at him and headed for the door accidently bumping into the old man along the way. "Anna," Nate hissed in warning.

Growling, I turned around and handed over Ford Senior's wallet. I leaned forward and hissed in Nate's ear. "Fine, but I'm building bridges. I could have made a new friend."

He flinched slightly, but pulled his ear bud out of his ear and took my seat. I used the main exit before circling back around and going up the steps. I pushed open the door to Nate's apartment and went to the floor.

Nate was gone for nearly an hour. Eliot and Parker had reappeared in that time and they had all decided they didn't like the idea of taking down Nate's father. Perhaps some part of me wanted to play for the dark side. I was curious as to what Jimmy Ford could teach me that Nate couldn't. He was cold, and cruel, but he was smart. He knew the way people worked in a way that was different than Nate. From the beginning he knew I wasn't your typical teenage but he tested his theory.

Sometimes I wondered if Nate ever tested his theories.

Sophie sat at the table next to Parker and Eliot, who bickered back and forth about not throwing crowbars at people. Hardison prepared the briefing, but he didn't look happy about it and Sophie was completely silent, holding her mug close to her lips as she stared into space. Part of me wondered if she knew that I was curious about him. That I wanted to test him like he tested me. Though, it was no secret she would never allow it.

Then again, if Nate was emotionally involved and wasn't thinking straight, I bet he would be willing to send me into his father's hide out. Maybe, just maybe, I could convince Sophie that I would be the best for the job too. That it would be better to put me in there than Nate, if it turned out to be an either-or situation.

The door to the apartment opened, silencing Parker and Eliot and sending Hardison into nervous shifting. I on the other hand watched curiously. Even though he was several feet away, I could still smell the booze on him. The clammy sweat on his forehead told me he was definitely feeling the alcohol even if he appeared to be walking a straight line.

If the team was nervous before, they were even more now. Drunk Nate meant unpredictable Nate.

"Okay, run it," Nate demanded. No one spoke. We all just sat there. He looked at us irritably. "Go on. Run it."

I watched the team exchange looks, no one really wanted to say what was on their minds. But I was feeling something completely different. I knew what it was like to know your father was a bad guy and to want to see him fall flat on his ass. Maybe the others had better experience with fathers, but some of us rather not have them at all.

Hardison looked up at him. "Maybe we should discuss first-"

Parker rolled her eyes. "They feel weird about going after your dad," she stated plainly.

Finally, I stood up and stretched. "I say we go for it. What the hell. We take down bad guys, he's a bad guy."

The warning look I received from Sophie shut me up. For the moment at least.

Nate nodded and took a drink of his coffee. "Anna's right. Run it."

Again, Hardison looked extremely uncomfortable as he stood up and walked towards the screen. "Alright, well…" He cleared his throat and ran a hand over his face. "Jimmy… Jimmy-Jimmy Ford- Your Pop." Rubbing the back of his head he glanced toward the ceiling. Anyone with half a brain knew he was definitely wanting someone else to take the spot light. "He wore a lot of criminal hats, man…But!" He motioned toward the picture of the grey haired man. "He was well known in the neighbor-"

This was just getting sad. "Okay, Hardison, sit down," I snapped rolling my eyes and moving towards the screen. He much obliged, ready to duck out. Grudgingly I clapped my hands together motioned toward the picture. The anger radiating off of Sophie's gaze admittedly made me a little nervous. "Jimmy Ford started out as a bookkeeper and he ran ever bit of this side of Atlanta City. Once he put enough citizens in debt, he decided to take a dive into being a loan shark. Then from there he became a fixer. Blah, blah, blah. Bad guy."

Everyone was staring at me with mixed expressions. I rolled my eyes. "I don't understand why you guys are leery. He's a bad guy." An interesting bad guy may I add. Granted lawn shark and henchmen match maker, but he had experience and knowledge, I could never dream of.

"At his peek, he was he was king of the neighborhood," Nate added while I read through some of his history. Yeah, Jimmy Ford was a bad guy, but he was an interesting bad guy.

Sophie broke me from my train of thought. "How does this tie in with the whole 'cell phone-blackmail' thing?"

Hardison shrugged. "He has several victims. The phone repair guy, Eliot's friend-"

"What does he do?" Nate asked distantly.

"Shipper. Clothing, uniform. Nothing remarkable. We found a third phone but-"

"Dead end," Eliot said for him. "He's scared for his life."

Nate turned around and looked at the five of us. "What is Jimmy Ford's game?" he asked me.

I gave him a small grin. "Three card monte."

He nodded turning back toward the screen. "Keep the cards moving. Never see the queen until he wants you to see the queen."

_Unless, you know where to look,_ I thought. Still, Sophie sighed behind me and closed her notebook.

"Okay, obviously we don't have enough to go after this guy-"

"Wait! Let me go, he likes me and I saw his queen," I said anxiously. Sophie opened her mouth to protest, but I quickly stopped her. "Don't say no because I'm the youngest or because you don't want me to get hurt. He's Nate's dad, he wouldn't hurt me. I can do it Soph. Really."

Everyone was silent. Yes, there were a lot of factors to consider here, but I wanted them to see what I saw. I knew what I could do, they knew what I could do, and this was my chance to use my abilities to the fullest. Part of each of them was inside me. Sophie's eye, Nate's preparation, Parker's pickpocket, Elliot's speed, and Hardison's ability to stall. But most importantly, I had a little piece of each of their heart. I understood them.

Moving toward Sophie, I pleaded with her holding her gaze. "Let me prove it to you. Please."

Finally, she nodded, but looked past me to Nate. "But you need to sit this one out."

Nate's eyes focused in on her and challenged her. "Oh, no. You want to go after the bad guys then we go after the bad guys! We. And we're going to do it right. Anna, you're to stay out of his way-"

"No!" I snapped getting toe to toe with him. "He wants someone to teach. From the moment I saw his queen, I had him in the palm of my hand. You need an inside man. That's me."

The alcohol on his breath pricked at my nose. The team was silent knowing this was our fight. "You have no idea what kind of man he is. He could corrupt you, burn you," Nate snapped taking a threatening step toward me. Eliot stood up, ready for something bad to happen.

Looking down for a moment I shook my head. "You don't get it. My father has already burned me. That old man can do anything to me that hasn't already been done." My eyes met his gaze. "We go after bad guys, and with him I already have one foot in the door."

Nate spun around and stormed toward the screen. "He's a bad guy and he's my father. This is my job."

Sophie abandoned her chair and followed Nate to the screen. "Yes, we are going after the bad guys. But you don't honestly think you can put your father behind bars?"

"He's a mark just like any other mark, let's stop looking at him as my father. He hurts people." His voice lowered and continued, softer, as though convincing himself. "He's a bad guy, this is what we do. We can do this. We are supposed to do this."

Sophie lowered her voice and looked hard at him. "But it's not your job to take down your father."

"No. It's my pleasure."

Jimmy Ford sat at the bar sipping on his drink. I barely grazed past him, but he caught me by the back of the arm.

"I'm old, not stupid," Ford snapped pulling his wallet out of my hand. Yet, he didn't seem angry, in fact he looked rather impressed.

Relaxing just enough to give him a sense of confidence, I smiled. "Good, I wanted to be sure before I offered my services, considered you didn't notice the first time."

Jimmy Ford looked up at me, a mixture of pride and skepticism. "Anna, Anna, Anna," Jimmy Ford tsked looking up at me. My heart caught in my throat. "Now I promised my son I wouldn't let you get involved with this."

"_Damn it, Nate. I'm going to kill you," _Sophie hissed over my com.

"_It was before we decided to put her in,"_ Nate returned.

Yeah, I was pissed, but I wasn't about to give up. I leaned forward and glared at him. "You don't look like the type of man that cares all that much about promises." This made him smile. "What Daddy don't know, won't hurt him," I added sweetly.

"What are you doing hanging around my son with guts like that?"

I just shrugged. "Do you want my help or not?"

Ford smiled. "You may make this interesting."

His plan was unique, and clever. Something that I would say Nate could have cooked up. Three smoke screen robberies so he could get into the evidence locker. I was part of the distraction. Truth be told, I was surprised how well Nate stayed away, until, well, he didn't.

"Damn it, I lost him!" I hissed ducking out of the evidence room and heading for the stairs.

"_Seriously girl? How do you lose an old man?"_ Hardison snapped as I jumped two steps at a time past officers who were heading to one of the three banks.

"Hey! Do you want to do my job?" There were too many rooms to check each one. I glanced at each, searching for some sort of clue.

Behind the blurry glass of the Organized Crime Division door I could make out two figures. Taking a deep breath I pushed it open.

Nate stood in front of his father, a gun pointed at his face. Nate's breath was steady, but forcibly steady. His hand was still, but he leaned too much on his back foot, signaling he didn't really want to do it. Jimmy Ford also saw this.

He shifted back again, I was unseen.

"I'd say you're little girl ratted me out, but I can't say I didn't expected it at least a little." he said smiling softly to himself. "Still, she didn't even know I'd be up here, how did you?"

"Well, you'd never take the money and run…" Nate retorted sounding not the least bit humored.

Quickly I ducked behind one of the desks, opened the bottom drawer and nearly laughed when I realized that detectives really did keep an extra side arm there, just like in the movies. Still, I remained silent, watching from only yards away as I cocked the gun.

"For you it's never about the money. It's all about respect."

"_Anna, where are you?" _Sophie asked, making me lose the next part of the conversation. I could tell it was something about the book he held in his hand and how copies of it wouldn't hold up in court.

"Come on, Nate. Together we can run this town. You and me. We don't need anyone else."

I watched as Nate lowered his gun. My gut dropped a little. Nate would never quit being the good guy, but I was different than Nate. Yes, his father was a bad man, but he never had to be the bad guy either. I on the other hand knew my abilities. Bad was one of them.

Standing up, I pointed the gun at Jimmy. "And what about me?" I snapped, tired of his games. I was good- no great- at everything he asked me to do, yet he was willing to let me get caught with the rest of them. "I thought we were getting along so well."

Jimmy grinned at me. "Sweet pea, you are just full of surprises."

My body hardened. Nate was a good man. An honest man. I was bad. I was raised to be bad. There were situations that I knew I had the strength to handle that I knew the rest of the team wouldn't.

"You know, Nate's a much better person than I am," I hissed, inching closer, never letting the barrel of the gun fall away from the center of his chest. "Nate would never kill his own father. I on the other hand would shoot him and spit on his grave." Cocking my head to the side and twitching my mouth into a half smile, I stared at the old man. "What would stop me from killing you? A truly bad person."

"_Anna, what the hell are you doing?"_ Eliot snapped over the com.

"_Sophie, she has a gun pointed at Nate's dad, I don't think this is going to end well," _Parker added making me assume she was somewhere in the vents, but Sophie didn't reply. There was nothing she could say and she knew it. This was between Jimmy, Nate, and me.

Jimmy Ford took another step towards me. Looking down at me like he had all the answers in the world, he challenged me. Realizing he was getting nowhere, he turned to Nate. "You wouldn't let her do this. You're your mother's son. I could but-" he shook his head with a small smile on his face.

The three of us were silent. The trigger itching my finger even slightly, making me want to pump the lead into his chest for hurting my family.

I was beginning to get angry. "Shut up!"

"_Anna, it's alright," _Sophie said calmly in my ear. _"Sweetheart, it's going to be fine. Just-"_

"_Anna, drop the gun or I'll make you drop it," _Elliot snapped.

Nate was looking at me with gentle eyes as he reached out and pushed the gun down. "It's okay, Anna. Let him go."

"No!" I pulled the gun back up. "You hurt people," I snapped beyond angry. "You hurt Nate."

"_Sweetheart, it's alright," _Sophie tried again.

"_Anna, listen to Sophie. Give Nate the gun and walk away. You don't want to do this,"_ Eliot added, much softer this time.

"_Come on, the cops are on their way back. You need to get out of there. Shoot him, don't shoot him, it's time to go!" _Hardison pressed as my hands began to shake more.

I looked between the two men, my entire body trembling by then. Nate looked at me and offered his hand out. There were no words spoken as I handed over the gun. Jimmy Ford knew what he had done, but so did I. Still, I knew what I was doing it for.

"Go," Nate said nodding to the vent where Parker was sitting. She dropped a rope and beckoned to me.

As I crawled through the vault I could hear Jimmy Ford say something surprising to Nate. "She's a good girl."

Sophie tried to stop me as I pushed past everyone and headed down the sidewalk. Even Eliot asked her if he should go after me, but she didn't respond. I knew what she and Nate were thinking. Eventually, they'd have to decide how to handle it.

But I didn't do anything Nate wouldn't do. Or Eliot. Or Parker. Maybe even Sophie and Hardison. If someone had hurt one of us, it would be over. If the person that made us damaged showed up, it would be over.

I walked three miles back to my apartment, or maybe I ran, either way I was out of breath from trying to control my tears. All I knew was I wanted to be away from everyone. Slamming my door, I dead bolted all three locks and slid the chain as an extra headache. Parker could probably get through in three minutes, the others it would take way longer. Unless Eliot decides to just kick the door in, and that wouldn't surprise me either.

I wanted to be alone. Alone alone. Where no one would pull me out of my thoughts. At least not right away. I pushed everything on the floor of my closet to one side and sat in the corner, sliding the door shut.

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I was fixating on my own father when I looked up at Jimmy Ford. Shame. That's what I was feeling. Perhaps I was ashamed of myself. Perhaps I was worried that Sophie and Nate were ashamed of me.

Teddy was wrapped tight in my arms as I sat in that corner.

Sophie paced the floor. This was her fault. She knew it. Anna wanted to take the spot light in this case and Sophie knew there were warning signs, but honestly she wanted to see Jimmy Ford crash and burn just as much as the rest of them. There was a big risk and she took it. She put her girl on the line, the same thing she got so angry at Nate for doing.

Still, she new Anna. Sophie new the way the girl thought, just like Anna knew the way the team thought. She was hiding. Burying herself, broken. Four hours. That's how long Sophie would give her before coming after her.

The team had questions, lots of questions, for Nate. But he had to finish his plan. He set up his father, making it look like every Irish mobster in Boston was getting blackmailed by his dear old dad. Hardison helped getting a boat to toss his dad on. His dad tried to guilt trip him. Jimmy pushed Nate and tried to convince him that he was cruel.

"Where's Anna?" Nate asked as he turned to see she was the only one missing.

Everyone turned to Sophie. She seemed pale and even a little uncomfortable. "She's probably at her apartment, but it may be best to leave her there for now."

No one argued. Sophie knew people best, especially Anna. But this wasn't something that Sophie understood like someone else on the team. Still, Anna had two more hours before everyone broke into her apartment ready to pull her out and begin the intervention.

_**Sooooo What did you think? Please tell me! Feedback is extremely helpful! Please review. Love always, Marilynn**_


	8. They Way They Are

_**Chapter 8! Review please!**_

Two hours dragged on as the team paced the apartment. They all had coms in their ears and their cell phones in their pockets. If Anna would call, it most likely would be to Sophie. Still, there were chances it would be Nate or Eliot, even Parker or Hardison. Anna was scared, and angry will herself, so the likelihood of her calling at all wasn't that high. Still, they knew where to look for her.

"She's not a killer, she was trying to protect Nate like she wants someone to protect her," Eliot pressed as he drove the van toward her apartment.

Sophie shook her head. "She feels a need to protect us. I honestly believe she thinks we'd leave her."

Everyone became very quiet. Parker looked at all of them. "Would we?"

"No!" Sophie snapped harsher than what Parker expected.

Once again it was quiet as they pulled up to her apartment building. There wasn't a point in arguing about who should go up. They all were her family and they all needed to see her. Sophie had already planned on packing a bag for her and demanding she stayed with _someone_.

Anna's emotional instability was understandable. She was a grifter. Though she could control and manipulate other people's emotions, she was never taught how to cope with her own. Being a grifter also meant empathizing with other people, adding even more emotional strain a teenage girl who had already lost her mother and felt completely lost in this world. Sophie wished she would have talked to her sooner about how to cope with the emotions, but in reality she wasn't the best at it either.

She was the one that ran away and left her team while she tried to fix whatever inside of her was broken. She was the one who still pined over a romance that never really happened. She one the one who still kept so much of her real emotions a secret.

Parker picked the locks with ease and everyone piled in through the door. Nate and Sophie immediately went to the bed room only to find it empty. Sophie checked the bathroom while Nate checked under the bed. Eliot, Parker, and Hardison checked the rest of the small, but cozy, apartment.

Finally they all came into the living room. Hardison had his laptop open typing away. "According to her cell phone, earbud, everything, she's here."

"They were both on her dresser," Nate informed glancing around the apartment. Surprisingly, he had never seen the inside of her apartment before. It was neat and tidy like most thieves' homes were. The personal items were few but there. It was homey, but easy enough to turn your back on if you had to run.

He smiled slightly as seeing the collection of comic books that Sophie had once mentioned as well as a picture of a younger Anna with a boy and a woman. Her games were in neat order and the only hint of a mess was the a cereal box out on the kitchen counter.

Eliot glanced around, seemingly also taking in the surroundings. "Did you check the closet?"

Nate and Sophie looked at each other. "I thought you did!" they exclaimed in unison.

Eliot growled and moved toward the bedroom. To his surprise no one followed him. He pushed the closet door open to find Anna sitting there with her knees pulled to her chest. Her face damp with tears, and she was clinging to her bear. She looked up at him with pain so obvious in her eyes he just wanted to take it all away. Make her that same girl that played the piano and sang.

Slowly, he reached out for her, but she didn't come to him. She pushed herself hard against the wall like a scared puppy.

"I shouldn't have done it," she whispered burying her face into the bear. "I shouldn't have pointed the gun at him."

"You were trying to protect Nate," Eliot said simply taking a seat on the floor, deciding to make himself a little more comfortable. The girl nodded and choked on a sob. "Anna, it's not your job to protect people. It's my job to protect the team."

Anna shook her head. "No, they all-"

"They all look out for you. You are like child to Nate and Sophie, a niece or sibling to the rest of us." He offered her his hanky as she slowly started to come out of the corner. "In so many ways you are special to us."

Sophie was watching from the door. Her heart broken by the fear in the girl's eyes. She wanted to protect her. It was her job to protect her. Out of all the team, Anna was the one that reminded Sophie the most that it didn't matter what your name was or who others thought you to be, as long as someone loves you, the real you, and the real you loves someone.

In so many ways, Sophie needed Anna as much as Anna needed her.

Anna's chin quivered as she tried to take another breath. "Eliot, they don't know what I've done. What my father's done. When they know they'll hate me." Harder tears choked her and she buried her face in her knees.

Eliot shook his head and helped her out of the closet. "Anna, we already love you."

*Anna*

Never did I ever think to find myself in such a relieving hug from Eliot Spencer. He picked me out of the closet and held me to his chest, his chin resting on top of my head. With one last squeeze, I felt someone else's arms gently pull me away.

Sophie took his place, wrapping her arms around me and sitting me on my bed. One hand stroked my head as she shushed me gently. Glancing over my shoulder she spoke, "Eliot, I've got her."

I never saw him leave, just the sound of the door closing behind him.

For a moment I tried to pull away from her, shaking my head, guilt once again pushing to break me. "Sophie, I just-"

"Shh, love. Everything will be alright," she cooed rocking be back and forth as I buried myself into her warmth. "Don't ever worry about protecting us. You are the child, it's our job to protect you."

We had a silent agreement at that moment. I would be her daughter and she would be my mother. She would protect me and love me, and I would love her and obey. There would be moments when I pushed and there would be moments where I screwed up, but now I knew I had someplace to go. Perhaps my mother even led me to her to be sure I wasn't alone anymore.

As my tears came less violently, I wiped my nose and sniffled. Smilingly slightly to myself, I asked Sophie a question without looking up at her. "Are you _sure_ we can't get a dog?"

Sophie laughed pulling me out to meet her eyes. "Anna, you are going to be the death of me."

*One Week Later*

"Hardison! I'm going to kill you!" I snapped as we sat on the floor of Nate's apartment playing Black Ops. "Quit watching my screen!"

Hardison laughed as he sniped me again. "Hate the game, not the player!"

I sucker punched him in the arm as I glanced up at his game. Quickly I glanced at his screen and decided to make my move. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Parker ready to jump in between up, that would distract Hardison long enough for me to-

"What cha playing?" Parker asked.

I threw a grenade into the window of his sniping position but it went unnoticed by Hardison.

"Black-" The explosion caught Hardison's attention. "You little cheater! Did you plan that?"

"Don't hate the player, hate the game!" I snapped, taking him out again only moments after he responded.

"No girl, that ain't even right!"

Parker watched as I took him out again. "Anna's kicking your ass!" she cheered as I finally passed his score.

"I was kickin' hers first! Seriously girl?" Hardison groaned as time finally ran out.

"Woo!" I threw my hands in the air and left my controller on the floor. "Anna Bonini finally creams the infamous Alec Hardison! How does it feel to be beaten by a teenage girl?" I asked shoving an imaginary microphone in his face.

Eliot and Parker laughed while Hardison seemed much less humored about it. Sophie and Nate were too busy speaking in the kitchen. Just by the way Sophie cleverly positioned her body to be sure that none of the team could see either of their faces. My face fell a little. When they fought it meant Nate was pushing to do something that didn't mean it was safe for the team, either that or about her real name.

Sophie had told me. The rest of the team knew it as well, but we didn't bother calling her anything but Sophie. Not because we were hiding it from Nate, but because a name didn't change who you were.

I looked over at Eliot who was tossing back a bottle of water. "Are we still going horseback riding tomorrow?" I asked him still casting a glance over at the leaders of the group.

"Doesn't look like it," Nate cut in as Sophie looked less than pleased from the kitchen. "Eliot, I'd like you to meet with a client with me."

"What kind of job?" he asked as Hardison went to the fridge for an orange soda.

"A mine owner who ignores safety procedures," Nate said simply heading back towards the bar.

Eliot headed after him leaving the four of us in silence. I glanced over at Sophie who held her tea infront of her mouth, the steam warming her a bit. There was a look in her eye that said she wasn't worried about the con, that she was trying to reach out to Nate and he wasn't reaching back. It must be hard loving someone like that, but then again, my own mother did it too.

Parker looked at me. "We have thirty minutes… Wanna jump of the top of the building?"

We both glanced at the super distracted Sophie and nodded fiercely. Hardison just rolled his eyes as we dove through the door toward the stairs, ignoring Sophie's calls after us.

My hair was tied into a tight French braid, but straggling curls framed my face. The wind was getting colder and being from Missouri, I wasn't used to early November feeling like it was mid January. The straps on my harnessed were snug, just like the needed to be as my toes poked on over the edge of the of the seven story building.

Standing on the edge the roof, my heart fluttered. A month ago I would told someone they were crazy if they wanted me to jump off the top of a building, harness or no harness. Now, it was like a release. The feeling of falling made you so afraid, but so alive.

Spreading my arms I dove off the side. The cold air felt even colder as it snapped at my face. My arm grabbed the rope and held it to where I was upright. Parker appeared right beside me. We stared into the window of the second story before looking over at each other. Both of us grinned and slapped hands.

"First one up is a rotten egg!" Parker exclaimed already starting her climb.

"Hey! No fair!"

Racing up the side of a building, trying to beat Parker is like trying to win a fight against Eliot, create an identity better than Hardison, keep your composure though hell and back better than Sophie, or beat Nate at chess (which seems impossible at times). Once and a while you may get lucky, but ninety-nine times out of a hundred, you lose.

When I reached the top, Parker was already halfway out of her harness. "You're getting better! You'll be diving off of skyscrapers in no time!"

"Ha. Funny. No, not yet."

Parker just smiled and shrugged. "Whatever you say." She looked up at me and smiled. "I'm glad you came."

Still smiling, I tilted my head at her. "Why wouldn't I? It's kinda fun, diving off buildings-"

"No. I'm glad that you came to our team."

We both looked at each other for a moment.

"Me too."

Sophie watched both of us as we can into the room. There was a curious look on her face, but the look in her eye said the wasn't going to ask most likely because she didn't want to know. Taking a seat at the bar, I grabbed her tea from her and took a swig.

In Missouri, no matter what time of the year, you order tea and it's cold and sweet. Depending on how far south you go you could even order a sweet tea and receive something that almost taste like syrup. I had never had Sophie's tea until I had actually met Sophie. Even then it took me forever to convince myself to try it. Now, I had a feeling that if Sophie ever tried sweet tea, she'd damn every American.

When she didn't argue with me about stealing her tea, I glanced up at her surprised. "Not going to get mad?"

Sophie shrugged. "I'm beginning to get used to it."

My stomach growled as I glanced around the kitchen. "When's Eliot going to make lunch?" I asked her.

"Am I just your damn house keeper?" Eliot growled as he and Nate walked through the door.

I frowned at him. "No! And why must you always growl?" I snapped earning a humorous look from both Nate and Sophie knowing that it was true. Eliot glared at me and turned on the stove.

"Sandwich?" he offered making me grin.

"Sure!"

Sophie shook her head and smiled. I knew she liked the relationship I had with each of the team members. It was like I had somehow tamed a little part of the animal in each of them. How many people could tease Eliot Spencer and get a sandwich out of it? Not many, I can certainly tell you that.

As we sat down for the breifing, Sophie reached over and stole half of my sandwich. "Hey!"

Sophie shrugged and smiled. "Sweetheart, we're thieves and you have terrible security on your sandwich."

I looked down and discovered the rest of my sandwich gone. "Seriously guys! I only got a bite!" Hardison and Parker laughed as the split the other half.

Eliot leaned forward and handed me another plate. "I made two for a reason," he told me, taking the other plate. I smiled and quickly picked up half the sandwich while the other half was stolen by Nate.

"Ya'll are a bunch of thieves," I fake complained taking a huge bite of my sandwich. Sophie pulled me against her side and kissed my cheek.

"And you love us for it."

_**Review? Love always, Marilynn. **_


	9. What Makes them Family

_**Sorry for the wait guys, my boyfriend left this week for the Naval Academy and I also just started a new job. But here you guys go. It's not as long as mine usually are, but the next chapter should be right on track. **_

Planes were not my thing. I know how that sounds, but I don't like them. Well, I did, but I didn't. It was like mini flashback each time I had to go through security or get my bags checked. To some that sound only irrating, to me it was slightly frightening. My brain immediately goes into grifter mode and sometimes I'm even tempted to manipulate a flight attendant into giving me a sedative. But _driving _to West Virginia for a damn mine was out of the question. Not that I asked.

So I was stuck on a plane heading to shut down a mine 747 miles away from home. A mine that belonged to Daniel Blackwell who ignored safety and invested in an Attorney General to be sure that he could save money that way. He killed twelve people a couple years back, took the insurance money and used it to buy his way into said AG's pocket. This was corruption and bribery at its worst.

Which was why I was on a plane, reminding myself to breathe deeply.

Sophie watched me like I was about to attack the next person who walked down the aisle while Nate on other hand was comfortable downing another little bottle of something or other. Elliot, who sat next to me, seemed to be hitting on the same flight attendant that mistaken me for his sister (but Eliot made it work by playing the amazing big brother). Then there was Hardison teaching Parker the difference between the Horde and Alliance in the seats behind me.

"Parker! What is wrong with you? The horde and the alliance is _not _like chocolate and vanilla cake!" Hardison exclaimed earning a _shut the hell up_ look from Eliot. I was decently sure Sophie and Nate would have given him a similar look if the flight attendant's ass wasn't in Sophie's face.

"I'm half tempted to trade you seats," I heard her hiss at Nate.

"I'm more than half tempted to accept…"

I rolled my eyes at the slap on the arm Sophie gave him and clung only a little tighter to the arms of my chair. Inhale, exhale, repeat.

Sophie had finall ordered a drink. Tired of the senseless flirting, ass in her face, and childish arguing drove her to wits end. I also was beginning to lose it because all the chit chat was making it really hard for me to imagine myself on a far away beach.

"Is your sister alright?" the pretty attendant asked as Eliot glanced over his shoulder at me.

"Oh yeah, flying just makes her a bit nervous. She-" he hardened his gaze, "just needs to chill."

The girl tossed me a mildly concerned look before going right back to her senseless flirtations. "So why are you headed to Virginia?"

"Well-"

Time for his little game to end. "We're headed my brother's friend Jasper's house," I informed her quickly casting a daring glance Eliot's way. My accent was just southern enough to match his, but I added extra twang to imply sweetness. "My brother hates being away from his man too long." Lifting my shoulders and rolling my eyes, I kept a childish smile. "You know how people in _love _are."

If I had a picture of the expression the woman gave Eliot I would have hung it on the wall in pride that I could make someone make that face. Then the look Eliot gave me may have frightened me if I ever thought he could (or would rather) actually hurt me.

The pretty girl took a deep breath and looked like she was going to say something, but her brow furrowed and looked utterly confused. The only word she managed to get out was "Oh…" before scampering away pointing at the curtain that led to coach. Of course I couldn't help but laugh.

"Seriously?" Eliot snapped as I calmed my laugh and reached for my water. "Between you and Hardison…"

Between me and Hardison Eliot probably wouldn't have nearly as much fun, but may have gotten laid more. Ehh, oh well.

"Okay, Parker, the Horde-"

Groaning loudly, I turned around in my seat and peered over the top of it at a slightly spaced Parker and a very upset Hardison. "Parker, the Alliance and the Horde are like art and jewels thieves. There's paintings and sculptures and whatever the hell else there is in art-" I could almost feel Sophie glare at me for saying "whatever" and "art" in the same sentence, "like there is diamond and rubies and necklaces and rings in jewelry. Do you understand so far?"

Parker nodded fiercely.

I took a deep breath in relief. Thank God, we were getting somewhere. "Okay, some people are _art _thieves like Sophie and some people are _jewelry _thieves like… okay I'm not sure if I know a jewelry theif, but the point is that alliance are art thieves and hordes are jewelry thieves," clarified resting my chin on the back of the seat.

"What about me? I'm just a thief," Parker asked looking almost concerned.

"You have horde and alliance characters," I stated simply. "But I prefer art in this discussion."

Hardison looked at me like I had just kicked a puppy as I smiled defiantly at him. "For the alliance."

The argument that followed also came with enough alcohol for the older three members of our team to need Hardison to drive to the hotel. Sophie also made the rule of no discussing video games on planes unless we could agree and keep our voices down. There was another rule added by Eliot that if he is flirting with someone we do not pretend like his is gay (apparently Hardison had also pulled this move before when Nate was in rehab, on a con of course) and Nate ignored us all.

"Remember we are using the Skagway Shuffle, we are selling Blackwell his own mine. Parker, you and Anna are taking Attorney General Debra Pierce, the rest of us are going to be with Blackwell," Nate sent me a look that I couldn't quite interpret. His lack of emotion always made his facial expression a bit more difficult to read.

"Aliases: Nate, you're Bob Gibson; Parker, Kelly Beth Loflon; Eliot, Eric Randle; Anna, Mindy Cramer; and Sophie, Carrie Hudsel and Eliose Tinson," Hardison handed us each an ID. I was a interested as to how I also ended up with two. One was a driver's license and the other was a school ID.

"Parker, Sophie worked with you on grifting, but Anna is going in alongside you as a student shadow for Debra Pierce. Anna will help you learn while also getting information," Nate imformed us as Sophie shoved two dresses at us.

I looked at the dresses then back to her. "Are you kidding me? Who am I playing? One of the von Trapps?" I glared down at the extremely modest, almost childish dress. "I'm a sixteen year old going to shadow a Attorney General, obviously either Daddy made me do it, or I'm all business."

Perhaps it was my teenage need to argue, but when arguing with professional criminals, you sometimes just roll over and take it. Parker and I stood a block away, staring at the building we were about to walk into. It was large and official looking, but as she had already said it would be easy.

I took the first steps into the building, tugging and unbuttoning the neckline of the dress. It wasn't to reveal more skin, just to become more comfortable. Giving lady at the front desk the sweetest smile possible, I offered her my school ID and license.

"Hello, my name is Mindy Cramer. I was assigned to shadow Attorney General Pierce today," I said with enough of an accent to make it seem like I lived near.

This was the part I hated. When the lady had to check my story and I immediately had to depend on someone else. Like Hardison. Trust me, I adore Hardison but the boy is a bit scatter brained. Finally, the woman looked up at me and smiled while handing me a tag.

"She should be expecting you, Miss Cramer. Take the elevator to the top floor, and her office is two doors to your right."

I beamed at the woman, accepting my badge and my two ID's. As I reached the elevator I partially smiled to myself. "I'm in."

"Good girl. Now pay attention and keep close to Pierce."

Nodding to myself, I took a deep breath and knocked on the door to AG's office.

Two days later we were back on a plane. Everything, well mostly everything, went right as rain. Still, having to explain to Parker that Cramer and Blackwell were "knocking boots" was almost as awkward as Sophie implying she had also went a round with him. By the time the con was over I was very much wanting to scrub my brain of any mental images that damned me.

The team had stayed in the bar for a celebratory drink while I decided to let the adults have their fun, mostly because I was exhausted. The bond we all shared was unique and comforting, and I was so happy to feel a part of something again. We did our jobs and we kept our heads own (well enough) even when things began to get personal. Everyone knew the boundaries and when to ask questions and when to keep the questions to yourself. But we were a family. A dysfunctional, odd, crazy, and even a bit hostile at times family that I couldn't imagine life without anymore.

Since the day I hid in my closet after pointing a gun at Nate's father, I had been calling Sophie's second bedroom home. We set it up just like my old bedroom, and my video games had taken over her family room. She didn't seem to mind very much though since a majority of the time we were at Nate's.

Before any of us knew it, it was Christmas.

"Seriously? Why do I have to be an elf too?" I whined as Parker shoved a green hat on my head and started skipping around me. Sometimes even I thought that girl had too much energy.

Sophie offered me a red and green dress with white tights. Raising my eyebrow in the _You're making me to put _that_ on? _fashion, I reluctantly took it. Nate sat at his bar and took a hard swallow of alcohol. Normally Nate was depressing, but not this depressing.

Folding the outfit over my arm, I looked at Sophie. "What's wrong with Nate?"

She didn't even have to look at him. Releasing a long sigh she continued fixing my curly mess of hair. "He probably just misses Sam."

"Sam?" I asked her completely thrown for a loop. "Who's Sam?"

Everyone in the room looked at me, everyone except Nate. My cheeks heated up at their shock and I quickly diverted my eyes.

To everyone's surprise, Nate was the one who spoke. His back was still to us but I could hear him set down his glass. "She hasn't been in the game as long as you guys have. I never went after her." He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes were more blood shot than usual and his face was pale and sweaty. "Sam's my son."

I think the rest of the team expected me to leave at that, but I didn't understand. "Where is he?" I asked furrowing my brow. "With your ex-wife?"

"Dead."

With that, the entire room went cold. My throat closed and my eyes went to the floor. I was pretty sure no one was even breathing.

"I-I-I'm sorry… I-I didn't know…" I muttered. A hand went on my forearm to pull me back. Sophie had put both her arms around me for a hug, but I wasn't sure why. My face was against Sophie's shoulder as I awkwardly returned the hug. I glanced at Parker and Hardison who also had their eyes towards the floor. I didn't understand what was going on, all I knew was that I wasn't let go until I heard the door to Nate's bedroom close behind him. Sophie gave me one last squeeze before also heading up the steps.

I stood there confused, unsure of why Sophie had pulled me into her and held me like she had.

One day I would learn that it was to keep me from seeing a man that I looked up, the father that I loved more than my own, cry.

_**So what did you think? Review please! Love always, Marilynn**_


	10. Family Ties

_**Lots going on in this chapter! Hope yall enjoy! **_

Sophie didn't bother to knock on the bedroom door, she knew he what he was doing. He was moping. Crying. Putting himself through even more pain. Letting himself suffer.

He was sitting on his bed, a glass on his knee. The glass still held the same liquor it had when he disappeared. There was a distant look in his glazed over eyes, and his cheeks were pale. It hurt her to see him like that, but it also made her almost angry. How long was he going to drown his sorrows and over look everything that was laid out in front of him?

"I know what you're thinking," he said, no hint of his tears in his voice. "Is it so wrong to miss my son, Sophie?"

She took a seat beside him and placed her hand over his on the glass. "Depends how you miss him, and how much you miss missing him."

He glared at her. "You never had kids, you wouldn't know," he hissed pulling the drink away from her and putting it to her lips.

"You don't think I know what it's like to love someone with my entire heart, to have them taken away from me?" Sophie snapped standing up and preparing herself for a fight. "You're right, I've never lost a child, but I've lost damn well everyone else."

She stood in front of him, watching him stare down at his drink. This wasn't his fault, but it wasn't hers or anyone else's either. It was the universe's fault. Destiny, fate, life and death, whatever the hell it was. It was his God's fault.

A lump grew in her throat as she shook the thoughts of blame out of her head. No, it was no one's fault. If Sam wouldn't have died, if Blackwell wouldn't have screwed Nate over, the team may have never come together. All those people that they helped may have never been helped. She may have never found Anna or been given half the chance to love or find a family who truly accepts her for who she is. In an odd way, maybe she was thankful for such a tragedy, but she could never be thankful for the pain it gave Nate.

"Talk to me," she whispered, getting down on both knees in front of him, her head so close to his their foreheads were nearly touching.

"He loved Christmas… before he went into the hospital. After, he said it made him mad. The truth was I think it made him miss being home even more." Nate was talking to the floor but allowed Sophie to take his hands and lay the glass by his feet. Finally, he looked up into her eyes. "He would have loved Parker and Hardison's goofiness and he would have begged Eliot to teach him to ride a horse and I bet he probably would have had a crush on Anna." Then he squeezed her hand and looked deeply into those brown orbs with almost half a smile on his face. "And he would have loved everything about you."

Sophie laughed half heartedly and wiped her eyes. "I hate it when you make me cry like that," she complained halfheartedly.

Without thinking she took both his cheeks in her hands and kissed his lips, just barely. It was a small sign of compassion but they both knew they went too far.

Immediately she jumped away and Nate got to his feet. Both of them looked around awkwardly, refusing to actually meet each other's gaze. "I've- I've got to take care of Anna."

She didn't wake for him to answer, she just kept going for the door.

Sophie appeared at the top of the stairs, her eyes red and glassy. The other three had left, but I couldn't seem to budge from where Sophie left me. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, I searched for words.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think. I know we shouldn't ask questions, I'm sorry. Really. I did't-"

She smiled at me and shook her head. "No, it's only fair for you to know about Sam." When I didn't look convinced, she placed a hand on my cheek. "Sweetheart, it's alright."

I nodded and followed her out the door with the ridiculous costume in my arms.

Sophie seemed to be enjoying a job that meant being in a shopping mall all day. I didn't even want to know how much money she spent as she examined a scarf even though three bags already lay at her feet. I on the other hand was quite tired of the busy atmosphere. Nate somehow appeared next to us.

"It's quite nice being able to shop on the job," Sophie informed him, but was quickly distracted by a beautiful bracelet. "Oh, now isn't that lovely."

Nate noticed it also. It was silver with the name Emma engraved on it. "You like that? If I got that for you, I'd have to know you're name."

Sophie smiled at him. "You know what's also nice? A gift card." She winked at me and I couldn't help but snicker a little.

The man who fired our Santa walked by and Sophie quickly pushed Nate after him. "Now, now! You're turn. No job is a small job!"

Nate rolled his eyes and walked toward him muttering. With a knowing smile that Sophie wore all too often she looked down at me. "Sometimes I just love making him mad."

Hardison was in the middle of briefing when Parker came skipping in wearing a red Christmas jacket and a halo, with a boom box playing some obnoxious Christmas song. Nate glared up at her, about to gripe at her when I reached up and turned it off for him. Yeah, I like Christmas as much as the next girl, but sometimes Parker took things over bored.

She seemed completely unfazed by everyone's stares. "What?"

Nate nodded in a good riddance sort of fashion, while Sophie just shook her head. Eliot and Hardison just looked at her like she was crazy.

Hardison motioned back to the screen. "As I was saying…"

Parker nudged me with her elbow. "Hey, wanna help decorate the tree?" Pulling up a red bag, she dumped its contents on the table. Diamond necklaces, earrings, all kinds of different types of stolen material laid in front of us.

I let out a small laugh. "Sure."

Picking up a golden locket, I hung it next to a pair of diamond earrings big enough to weigh down the limb on the tree. Parker also grabbed a diamond necklace.

Sophie glanced over at us. "Parker, is that the Lion of Gilgamesh?"

Parker glanced over her shoulder and nodded. "Uhuh, stole it in Dubia in '05. I think it looks nice next to the Star of Sapphire." She tugged at the stone trying to straighten it.

I think Sophie's face paled slightly at Parker's roughness with such items. "Careful!" she swallowed raising her hand almost helplessly. "You have like millions of dollars worth of loot on that tree!"

Taking a closer look at the necklace she was tugging on I nearly laughed out loud. "I helped you steal that and you never even knew it!"

Parker looked at me funny, as though waiting for me to continue. "I helped you get it back to the states at least. Me personally! I remember that piece because it was the first time I had to actually wear a the merchandise. Man that was a fun one. My cover was-"

Hardison gave me funny look. "You were a smuggler in '05? How old were you? Ten?"

I smiled at him. "Yup. It was February."

He laughed at me. "Baby girl, you got an odd history. Even I didn't start that early."

"I did," Parker added roughly handing another piece of loot. "I was much younger than that."

Eliot shook his head. "That's just sad. I mean, we stopped one smuggler in Europe but there are so many more. Using children…"

I looked over at him and gave him my best smile. "That's why I'm glad I found you guys."

According to Hardison the man who owned the mall was swimming in debt. Gambling problem. He had hired a bunch of ex cons and had a flight to San Lorenzo on Christmas Eve. Nate said it was some sort of insurance scam that would help him out of debt. The cons would steal from the mall and being out of the country gave him the clear. We had to make sure that didn't happen. It was Sophie's job to be sure he never got on that Plane.

And something about Eliot Spencer dressed as Santa was absurdly hilarious.

"_Next time Nate's Santa,"_ Eliot hissed through his com.

Parker rolled her eyes and nudged me. "Nate's more Grinchy that Santa-y."

Sophie and Hardison's laughed while I helped another little kid onto Eliot's lap. Parker was skipping around singing Jingle Bells, thoroughly getting on everyone's nerves even maybe the parents' and children.

What happened may have been my fault. It may have been avoided if I hadn't been so focused on the job and would have actually looked at the people in line to see Santa. But I knew what my job was and I wasn't thinking about anything else.

"Hey little sister," a voice hissed in my ear just as I reached for a little blond girl's hand. My heart jumped to my throat.

"_Anna, what's going on?"_ Nate asked over the com as I slowly looked up to see a tall, well built man. We shared the dark eyes, but he inherited Dad's thick dirty blond hair and big bone structure.

"Cory…" I whispered feeling sick to my stomach.

He smiled at me before looking at Parker and Eliot. "Elf Number Two is taking a break," he announced.

Eliot stood up, ready to fight, but I shook my head.

"No, it's okay. I'll be back."

Eliot didn't look completely convinced, but he nodded and returned to his seat. With more force than I expected, Cory grabbed me by the arm and pulled me off the platform. When he let go of my arm, he moved it hand to the back of my neck pinching it like a cat.

I winced as I was drug past stored and thrown roughly into the hallway. Eliot was whispering to Nate and Sophie, but I was too focused on Cory to understand what they were actually saying.

He was dressed like my father. A well tailored suit, a white button up. Very different from his old t-shirts and jeans we wore riding. The more I looked at him, the less I saw my brother, but instead saw my father.

"Hey big brother! How are you doing?" I said fake cheery. I lowered my voice to mock his. "Just fine little sister. Sorry I let you run off and not care what happened to you."

He rolled his eyes and glared at me. "You're just a child."

This time, I rolled my eyes and huffed. "And you're just like him. You know, at one point, I thought you may have been on Mom's side."

The way he laughed made me want to hit him. "Mom didn't have a side. She was never a part of the business and that's the way she liked it. You mean you thought I was on _your _side."

He was nearly a foot taller than me, probably a hundred pounds heavier at the least, but I wasn't scared of him. If anything, he should be afraid of me. I was the one that wasn't afraid of anything. Never was. I had been through more than he could have ever known. I had seen people killed for doing the very thing my father had me do. Cory didn't scare me.

"Go to hell," I snapped. "Mom never wanted this for us."

"So you don't like Dad's way of breaking the law so you break it with someone else. Nathan Ford and his little team. Imagine Dad and my surprise when hearing of an Anna Bonini working alongside Eliot Spencer, Sophie Devereaux, Nathan Ford, Alec Hardison, and Parker." Cory make that annoying tsking sound. "You've been a very bad girl. Oh, and nice touch taking Mom's maiden name."

"I've been bad? Who put a little girl on the plane with stolen jewelry shoved in the stuffing of her teddy bear? You were never put on planes and flown across the world!"

Cory rolled his eyes. "I'm not here to argue with you. I'm here to tell you it's time to go home. This little game you're playing is over."

Just as his arm went out to grab me, I stepped back. "No. Go home. I'm staying here with my family."

The ice in his laugh hurt more than the hand the flew across my face. "Blood's thicker than water, Anna. You really think Dad's going to just let you go?"

The tingling in my cheek began. "I've been gone for two years and he just now found me. I'm already gone."

Without another word I turned my back on him and began to walk back towards the platform where Eliot and Parker were continuing their jobs at the North Pole. The fun was about to begin and my father was not going to let me walk away any longer. Something was going to happen.

Nate had abandoned his spot in Lucile and was already rounding the corner to Cory. Silently, he stood there, waiting for the larger man to notice him.

Finally, Cory turned around and smiled at Nate. "Well, if it isn't the sometimes famous sometime infamous Nathan Ford. Plucking more children off the street?"

Nate remained silent. He knew how people like Cory worked. The fewer the questions he asked the more Cory would answer. Yet, it almost disturbed Nate that he was looking into Anna's eyes. They were the same and yet so different. Anna's still sparked with hurt and innocence, and even sometimes a childlike orneriness when she was playing with the team, but his were lit with anger and even evil.

"My father works very closely with Moreau and considers him a personal friend. It would be a lot easier for you to just hand her over to now instead of making anyone else any angrier," Cory informed cracking his lips into a smile.

Still, Nate remained silent. This did not make Cory happy. He needed to, at the least, get a rise out of him. "Anna's not nearly as sweet as she seems. She's a lying, conniving, little bitch. Trust me, you'll be sorry you didn't hand her over." Cory took one more step toward Nate. "My father will make you sorry."

Pushing past him, Cory headed for the door.

"Tell your father, Antonio Moretti," Nate said finally, his back to Cory, "that if anything happens to Anna or any member of my team on his behalf, that he will be sorry. You're father is a man in very high places, I'd hate to see him fall."

Nate finally turned around to face him. "Oh, and I want your mother's locket back. Anna misses it."

When we finally gave Christmas back to everyone and Chaos was arrested, we went back to McRory's. My thoughts were still on Cory as my head laid rested on my folded arms on the bar where Sophie sad playing with my hair.

Appearing with a bottle of Champaign, Nate set out six glasses and Sophie filled five while only pouring a tiny amount in my glass. When Nate gave her a raised eyebrow she just rolled her eyes and said "It's bloody Christmas."

Hardison smiled. "Ahh, we kick ass."

We all raised our glasses. "Yes we did. Here's to that!" Nate said as we clinked our glasses together.

Parker looked at Eliot who was still in his Santa suit. "Hey, so when you gunna take that off?"

Sophie pursed her lips. "The whole Santa beard just doesn't do it for me."

A hint of aggravation sparked in Eliot's eyes as he shook his head at us. "Wow," was all he managed to get out though.

Nate stood awkwardly on the other side of the counter. "Okay, listen." Both his hands were raised and he looked uncharacteristically jittery. "This being Christmas Eve and all, Sophie and I, well mostly Sophie, definitely helped-"

Sophie scoffed at him and set down her Champaign. "We got you presents!"

Parker and I both nearly started bouncing while the two boys looked at her like she was crazy. Elliot was the first to speak.

"You _bought_ us gift?" Eliot snapped causing Parker to make a not so attractive face in confusion of whether or not she liked that idea. I on the other hand was still bouncing.

"Really?" I asked excitedly.

Nate looked uncomfortable again, but Sophie spoke for him. "I wouldn't say bought exactly, but we…" she glanced at Nate and lowered her voice, "obtained."

Elliot didn't look convienced, but Nate shrugged. "You're first."

Bending down to get something at his feet, he paused for dramatic effect before raising a sword to him. The look on Eliot's face made me smile. It was a look of shock and almost as though it was too good to be true. Slowly he took it from Nate and pulled the sword out.

"How-how did you-"

Sophie also was smiling, pleased she could make him happy. "Well, I know a guy, who knows a guy, who knows a samurai," Nate explained, leaning toward Sophie slightly.

This time Sophie leaned down and picked up a small box that was tucked into the counter. "Hardison."

Eliot quickly took his sword and rushed away from the counter while Hardison seemed much less reserved about accepting the gift unlike Eliot. He opened the box and his eyes lit up. "Nah, this can't be… it is. Prototype seven?" He held it up, as though he needed someone else to verify it was true. "They haven't even released five yet."

"I won't tell if you won't."

Hardison grabbed his glass and shook his head as he headed off for a chair. "You better believe it!"

Parker shifted uncomfortably while Nate just stared at her with a almost humorous stone look on his face. Finally, Sophie hit him. "Don't torture her!"

"Oh, okay!" Nate reached under the bar and took out a large yellow envelope and handed it to Parker.

She immediately tore into it and gasped as he saw its contents. Wide eyed, she looked up at Nate who had is arms folded in a very content manner and Sophie nearly laughing. "How did you know?"

My curiosity was sufficed when she pulled out a large stack of bills which she immediately pressed to her nose before skipping off. Now it was my turn. I looked up at two people I considered parents and suddenly felt really uncomfortable. My face reddened and I looked down at the bar. I wished I would have gotten them something, but I didn't.

"You didn't need to get me anything. Really," I assured them feeling extremely embarrassed.

Nate nudged Sophie playfully. "Told you we could have cut our losses," he teased winking at me. Sometimes he just knew how to make me feel better. "Go ahead, give it to her."

Sophie stared at him. "Ha. No, you give it to her. I can't put it on the bar like, it's huge!"

Now I was nearly dancing in my seat was Nate pulled up the large cello case and set it up right. Running around the side of the bar, I opened it. It was the one I had seen with Nate so many months ago. Carely, I pulled it out and plucked a string with my finger just to hear it hum. But as I looked at the back of the cello's neck, I nearly choked up.

In a beautiful cursive writing was my name and beside that in smaller letters was "love N & S". Putting it back into its case and making sure it was safe, I threw my arms around both Nate and Sophie.

"Thank you…" I whispered before rolling the case out from behind the bar and setting my new cello.

I held the bow in my hand as the instrument balanced against me. Slowly I played my first chord before quickly jumping into more. It was the most wonderful Christmas present I had ever been given.

Suddenly Parker stopped counting her money and went toward the door. Throwing it open she stepped outside and started dancing. "It's snowing!" she exclaimed, making me put up my instrument and run toward her. We both were still in out elf costumes but I didn't care. We cheered and danced while the other team laughed at us and enjoyed their Christmas.

Hours later I laid across Nate's couch with my head in Sophie's lap. "Merry Christmas," I whispered, barely able to keep my eyes open.

"Merry Christmas love," she replied as she rested her head in the corner of the couch.

I looked up at Sophie. "Would you rather have spent Christmas with your Aunt Emily?" I asked yawning again. "After all, we were all supposed to take our holidays separately."

She ran a hand through my hair again, fighting slightly with my curls. "And miss this? Never."

When Anna finally fell asleep, Sophie moved to Nate's room. He was sitting on the side of his bed, once again lost in thought. "Thank you again for the wonderful gift," she said sweetly taking a seat next to him.

He smiled at her and held up the napkin she had written on earlier. It read simply _I could make it two._ It was referring to the kiss from earlier. The one that left them both in an awkward situation that neither of them knew how to handle, but now it was not awkward. It was fine and comfortable.

She leaned towards him, wanting to feel his lips on hers again, but was cut short by a cell phone ringing.

Both of them exchanged looks, but Nate took it.

"Hello?" he said oddly.

"Hello Nathan. This is Antonio Moretti, Anna's father."

_**What did you think? Review please! Love always, Marilynn. **_


	11. Decisions

_**I know, I know, I said no more short chapters… Sorry!**_

"Hello, Mr. Moretti," Nate said calmly standing up from his place on the bed and moving toward the window.

"My son had confirmed that you are indeed with my daughter, and before you worry about me taking he away, don't, you've already had your chance to let her live."

Nate did not react. He only listened. Sophie on the other hand gripped Nate's arm a little tighter, being able to hear the conversation.

"Moreau is a good friend of mine and if you touch him, you will lose a very important member of your team. She's a good grifter, I would know. I taught her. She's my little girl, my flesh and blood."

Sophie was fighting with herself to remain calm. Anna was their girl. She was a part of them in a way that had nothing to do with the team anymore. When Sophie woke up, she could always count on Anna to be in the living room with a glass of orange juice and a blanket wrapped around her as she played videogames. Sophie was the one that held her when she cried, calmed her through her nightmares, and loved her more than she ever knew someone could love.

"But Anna is no longer a part of my family. Infact, Moreau and every last one of his people have her picture. The moment they see her they're orders are to, oh how can I say this, _kill_ her. So Nate, here are your options, don't go after Moreau or watch a fifteen year old girl die."

_Sixteen._ Nate mentally corrected when the line went dead. _Four years older than Sam._

"Nate-" Sophie began, grabbing onto his shirt sleeve with a certain urgency.

"I know," was all he could say as he turned and walked back down the steps. Sophie knew not to follow him, so there she was alone in Nate's room. Already in her pajamas, she crawled onto Nate's bed and laid on top of the covers, staring up at the ceiling. Too many things were running through her mind as she tried to sort them, like she had told Anna to do when she became upset. This was her family, and no one was going to take away any part of it.

Nate sat at the bar in his kitchen, drink in hand, with his head down towards the counter. Anna had changed them. All of them. Even him. The girl had became his child, and though he could never replace Sam, Anna had taken some other part of his heart and was helping the healing process. If something would happen to Anna he was sure he'd never recover.

The team would never recover. Eliot would blame himself and Nate. Yes, it was Eliot's main priority to take care of the team, but it was Nate's job to keep them out of the most certainly fatal situations. Parker would never open herself up again. In her own way she had taken Anna under her wing and taught her like any older sister would do. Hardison would break, but he would probably recover better than anyone. He was a foster child, siblings came and went. Still, Anna looked up to Hardison in the way you look up to and admire someone you could never be and Hardison loved it. She was the one person who never questioned Hardison's ability. Sometimes Nate wondered if Anna truly believed he had superpowers like the Green Lantern.

Then there was Sophie. Sophie would fall into a hole of emotion that she wouldn't know how to sort. She would experience the horrible loss of a child that he knew she loved more than she had ever loved before. Yes, this was the woman who was the mother of the team, the supporter and the nurturer. But with Anna she had truly became the mother that she had never had the opportunity to be.

Nate could roll over and let Moreau go. Nate could go back to prison. He wouldn't risk his family, not for him.

Just as he was about to finalize his decision with the last drops of liquor, Sophie appeared at the bottom of the steps.

"I'm not losing either of you," she said softly. Nate looked at her closer. She appeared to be shaking, her eyes bloodshot and clothes wrinkled. "I can't."

Nate abandoned his glass and went to her, allowing her to fall into his arms. She cried softly as she clutched his shirt that was against his chest. "She's my girl…" she whispered into his chest.

For the first time in a long time, Nate truly wanted to say the right thing. He wanted to calm her and tell her everything was going to be okay, but he wanted to tell her the truth as well. "I know…" was all he could manage.

Still clinging to his clothing, Sophie felt almost weaker. "And you're my…" She didn't have a word for it, but she didn't need one either.

Nate pulled her just far enough away so he could look her in the eye. "I know."

Nate and Sophie sat in front of me, looking at me with eyes that said more than their words. My heart had already jumped to my throat.

"No. I'm not going."

"Anna-"

"No!" I stood up and stared at them.

Sophie grabbed my arm and tried to pull me back down. "Anna, listen to me. Just until we deal with Moreau. Maggie is already expecting you. You'll love her."

I felt like a definant child as I stomped my foot and tore my arm away from her. "No I won't!" I cried tearing off for the door.

They didn't even get the chance to catch me. But Eliot on the other hand was waiting for me at the base of the steps. Angry tears were spilling down my cheeks as I glared at him. "Don't make me go," I whispered going into his arms and letting him fold his arms around me.

"Nate and Sophie think it's best, and I don't think their wrong," Eliot explained. Once again I pulled away, angry and hurt.

"Sophie said I can go to school and be a normal kid, but I don't know how to do that. I'm not good at that," I tried wrapping my arms around myself, like I did before I had someone who would hold me until the pain went away. They were pushing me away. I wasn't in the family. I wasn't a part of what we were anymore.

Sophie was racing down the steps and caught me just as I was about to bolt again. I tried to pull away, but this time she was much more prepared. "Anna!"

I pulled and flailed and struggled until she finally held me against her body. "Anna, you can have a chance at life you didn't have. And if you want to come back after we're done with Moreau than you can."

Burying my face in her neck I clung to her. "You want me to go…"

"Oh no, sweetheart, I want you to stay with us, trust me. But you'll be safer with Maggie."

"I want to help you. I want to take down Moreau with you…" My voice was barely a whisper. Truthfully, I was pretty sure I didn't care if I took down Moreau with them, my only worry was that something would happen and I wouldn't be there. Moreau was a bad guy and I didn't want any member of my family to get hurt.

Sophie pulled me down and sat me on the bottom step. "In a couple months, when everything is safe, I'll personally come and get you. You'll love Maggie. Really."

"Promise that you'll all be okay?" I asked her, pulling away to look at her.

Sophie laughed a little and looked at me. "I'm supposed to be the one that worries about you."

Grinning up at her, I shrugged. "I think with what we do, there's enough worry to go around."

Two days later, a large amount of my clothing, videogames, and personal mementos were packed away and shipped off to Maggie's. The next day, it was my turn to fly to LA.

Eliot was the one to drive me, though I wasn't exactly sure why. I had already said my goodbyes to everyone else and was handed a new cell phone which I was to only to call them in case of emergency. Nate had even gave me a sort of pat on the head and shoulder which I accepted. Parker awkwardly threw both her arms around me for some sort of hug and Hardison said his goodbye with a fist bump. Sophie was the one that hugged me almost every minute before I took the passenger seat of Eliot's car.

Eliot and my goodbye was one that I could have seen me sharing with Cory several years ago. He gave me a big hug, then with a smirk informed me that my taser would be waiting for me when I got to Maggie's house in the box labeled _Misc._

As I boarded the plane, I refused to look back at Eliot, knowing that I may break down in tears at the reminder I was leaving my family behind. Two months. Eight weeks. As I took my seat, I held Teddy tightly in my arms.

When I got off the plane I would become Anna Clive, niece of Maggie Collins. My parents are out of the country on business, but will be returning to the US in February. Until then I was suppose to stay with my aunt and behave myself.

Closing my eyes, I threw my head against the seat, hoping perhaps the months would past faster if I slept them away.

_**Oooo! So what did you think of the Nate/Sophie? Let me know! And, okay, so I had to end here so I didn't bring Maggie in half way through a chapter. Please read and review! Love always, Marilynn.**_


	12. Moments

_**CHAPTER 12! Wooohoooo! I hope you guys enjoy! **_

The flight wasn't bad, considering I slept through most of it. Holding Teddy in my arms and my small carry on, I searched for the sign that read "Anna Clive". Mentally I ran through my cover one more time to distract me from my emotions. Anna Clive, daughter of Katherine and Derek Clive. And…

And I missed them.

"Anna?" I heard a friendly female voice call by the luggage claim.

Immediately I searched for the sign. Spotting it, I forced a smile and took a deep breath before heading that way.

Maggie, although pretty, was not the type of woman I could ever picture Nate with. Then again, the only person I could really picture him with was Sophie. She was blonde and very thin. She wore a look of bliss, as though she had no real worries in the world. As I step closer to her, she placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Sophie has told me a lot about you."

If Sophie was there she would have been irritated with me for my bad manners, but I wasn't happy about being thrown on a plane and mailed to someone's ex-wife. She was nowhere around to scold me for my silent treatment.

Maggie kept glancing at me as we drove towards her home. "So, you like to play videogames?" she tried once again to make me talk, but I wasn't ready to speak just yet.

With my head still turned away from her I nodded.

"And you play piano?"

Nod.

"And cello?"

Nod.

Maggie groaned, suddenly pulling over and sending the car into park. Finally, I turned and looked at her. She ran an irritated hand through her blond hair. "Anna, I'm not Sophie, I know, but I'm what you got."

She looked me square in the eye, begging me to say something. There was so much I could have said. There was so much I wanted to say, but all I did say was "Okay."

THREE WEEKS LATER

Maggie was patient and kind, eventually pulling me out of my shell a little. No, she wasn't Sophie, but she was a friend of Sophie's and I would have to accept that I was her charge until the team came back.

I was given the options of going to school, but going for two months didn't seem like it would be worth it. Instead, I spent my days practicing the piano and cello, playing video games, and running… a lot of running.

"Maggie, I'm going for a run," I told her grabbing a bottled water out of her fridge and heading for the door.

"Alright. Be back before dark please," she called after me just before I closed the door behind me.

Compared to Nate, Maggie was warm and sunny. Then again, warm and sunny is almost anyone compared to Nate.

It was almost sickening not hearing from the team for an entire week, but running helped me clear my mind. They were most likely okay… I would have heard from them otherwise. Maggie said they were going out of the country and would back before the two months were over. Of course I didn't find that reassuring what so ever.

Going to the end of the driveway, I immediately stretched my legs. I started with an easy jog as I put my headphones in my ears and headed up the street. It was already four, but since it was a Monday, the streets weren't very busy.

Perhaps my worst habit was closing my eyes when I listened to really good song, but I've been doing it enough without problems that I had even broke in my new Pumas. Then again… That's when I collided with something extremely boney.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" I stuttered, rolling off the body and onto the cool sidewalk. Attempting to get to my feet, I watched the lanky body stand up as well.

The boy was tall, I was barely to his shoulders, and thin and muscular. He smiled at me trying to examine my wounds. "It's okay, really. Are you alright?" he asked offering his hands out to steady me.

I rubbed my head and attempted a smile. "Yeah," I muttered. Finally, I looked up at him and really studied his features. Blond, blue eyes, fair skinned. Not at all my type, but for some reason I found him extremely handsome. "I'm Anna," I told him offering out my hand.

He smiled and accepted it. "Jonah. I live down the road. You must be knew around here. I usually know the runners, at least recognize them."

I smiled. "I'm staying with my Aunt Maggie while my parents are in Europe for business."

"Maggie Collins?" I nodded. "She's friends with my mother. I think I remember her mentioning her niece coming. You're the pianist right?"

That took me by surprise. Who else did Maggie tell about my visit? I suppose it wasn't a big deal, but in some ways it didn't make me feel safe. Yet, the look in Jonah's eyes were anything but threatening. "Want a running partner?" he asked bending down to retie his tennis shoes.

Without thinking I smiled. "If that running partner is you."

At first I was surprised the words actually came out of my mouth, but he didn't seem to mind. "Of course, Almond."

I gave him a funny look. "Almond?"

He winked then stared his jog. "You're eyes. They're almond. Very pretty."

My cheeks heated up and all he did was smile.

Sophie paced back and forth in the hotel room. It was their first day in San Lorenzo and after the way the days before went, she was glad Anna wasn't there to get hurt. All of them were lucky to be alive. Nate sat on the bed, trying to ignore her so he could think.

"We should call her, just once," Sophie pressed taking a seat next to Nate.

"No. Let her adapt."

She looked at him desperately. "We nearly lost Eliot, we nearly lost Hardison, we nearly lost Parker and even ourselves. I need to be sure-"

Nate looked at her with cold eyes. "If we call, we put her at risk." Then his eyes softened a little and looked away from her again. "Call Maggie. Don't call Anna."

Sophie beamed at him and nodded, pulling out her cell phone.

Maggie was in her kitchen, tearing lettuce for salad as she prepared dinner. Popping a grape in her mouth she heard her cell phone begin to buzz. Reaching out and she grabbed it and couldn't help but smile a little when she saw the caller ID.

"Come on Sophie, never could imagine you as the over protective mother," Maggie teased deciding to munch on another grape.

"How is she?" Sophie asked anxiously.

"Well, the first few days were extremely icy, but she's getting more comfortable. She's been running and practicing piano and playing games… If you want to wait a little while, she'll be back soon. She's out running."

"So she's doing okay? She's adjusting?" Sophie pressed.

Maggie couldn't help but laugh a little. Poor Sophie. "She's doing fine. She-"

Anna came stumbling through the door laughing with a familiar boy coming in behind her. It was the first time since she arrived, that Maggie had actually heard Anna laugh. She seemed to actually be enjoying herself as Jonah closed the door behind him.

"Anna, your mother's on the phone," Maggie told her, making her light up all over again.

Anna looked a Jonah. "Just a second, then we can go play." She nearly bounced into the kitchen and quickly stole the phone away from her. "Mom!"

Hearing Anna sound so happy made Sophie want to hug her. "Hey, sweetie! You sound happy," she said sweetly.

Anna spun around and hopped up to sit on the counter. Maggie watched her as she continued preparing dinner, she also noticed how Jonah seemed to be stealing glances at her.

"I miss you guys, but it's been getting a little better. I've been working on some new music, I'll play it for you and Nate when you guys get back."

Suddenly Anna got quiet and even seemed to fold into herself a little. She made an uncomfortable glance over her shoulder towards Jonah who was trying to pretend he wasn't listening. Maggie immediately caught on and abandoned her lettuce.

"Jonah! Why don't I show you to Anna's room. She'll be there in a minute." She gestured down the hallway casting one more glance over to Anna before leading the teenager.

Anna clutched the phone a little tighter, as she closed her eyes. "I made a friend, I think. He's a boy. I mean I met him today, but we're going to play video games. That's a good thing to do right? What do normal LA girl do? I-"

Sophie couldn't help but laugh a little. "Sweetheart, it's all okay. You're perfectly fine." Something caught in her throat, but she was still smiling. Nate watched her as she began to pace again.

"How is everyone doing?" Anna asked, also feeling herself choke up a little.

Sophie chuckled a little. "They all miss you. Even Nate," she added winking at him.

"You're going to come back soon, right? Or call again soon?" Anna pressed hopping off the counter and making a lap around Maggie's kitchen island.

The first tears fell from Sophie's eyes. "Sweetie, I don't know." Sophie knew that Anna's heart had just dropped and it made her own stop too. Throwing her head back, she sighed miserably. "Anna, my love…"

"I love you, Mom. And Dad too. Tell everyone that I miss them…" the teenager said with strength that felt fake.

Sophie smiled at her bravery. "I love you too, baby."

I laid the phone down beside me and smiled at Maggie as she reappeared. There was smile on her lips that was all too knowing. Before I knew what was going on, she pulled me into a hug.

"You're a very special girl, you know that?" she whispered in my ear.

A sarcastic laugh cracked from my mouth. "Some say that, but I don't really know how I really about that."

The only reply I received was a smile.

Two hours later, Jonah and I were still playing Modern Warfare. "Head shot!" I cheered once again beating him.

He laughed hopelessly and smiled at me. "You weren't kidding when you said you were good at this."

"Seventeen to four! I think that says it all," I returned leaning against my bed infront of my TV.

Jonah shrugged. "Maybe I was going easy on you."

We both cracked a smile. "Or maybe this just isn't your game," I corrected giving him a little shove with my shoulder.

"You're something else, you know that? You're not fake like all the other girl around here. You're different," he straightened up and looked at me. "You're real."

I laughed a little, but it was almost sad. I was really good at being real, when in reality I was as imaginary as they come. Anna Clive wasn't even my real name, but he saw me as real. The ways he saw me, that really was me. The video games, the music, the running, that was all Anna. But I was Anna Bonini.

"I'd like to think I was real," I returned.

He watched me carefully, before glancing at his cell phone. "Well, I have to go, but I'll catch up with you tomorrow okay?"

I stood up with him. "Okay."

As I walked him to the door he looked down at me, examining me closely. I knew what was about to happen, but I was still so shocked with his lips grazed my cheek.

That was when Anna Clive as well as Anna Bonini gave a little piece of her heart away to a boy named Jonah.

NINE DAYS LATER

Sophie sat in the bar, Nate beside her, both of them had shots in their hand. She looked so tired, but after her "death scene" she had every right to be tired.

"You really are beautiful Sophie," Nate said suddenly making her laugh. He glanced at her surprised. "What?"

She leaned on him, her lips dangerously close to his ears. "Here we are, thousands of miles away from home, in some country called San Lorenzo, and after two years, you try to seduce me." Pressing her lips against the area behind his ears she smiled, barely flicking her tongue against his skin. "Let me do the seducing. I'm much better at it."

Before either of them knew what was going on, Nate had her pinned against the corner of the elevator, nipping at her neck as she rolled her head back and moaned. When the door finally opened, Sophie's legs wrapped around his waist as her fingers dug into his curls.

He struggled to unlock the door as she ripped at the buttons of his shirt. He dumped her onto the bed and she pushed off his shirt and ran her nails down his torso. Pulling her shirt over her head, he kissed her neck, down her chest, onto her stomach. Involuntarily bucking her hips, she moaned again.

Neither of them were thinking about the video of Sophie's death posted onto the internet, or thinking about the dangerous call they had made to Anna a little over a week ago. They were not at all thinking of the consequences. They were only thinking of that moment and the heat between both of them. Their moment in San Lorenzo.

_**Soooooo… There is so much about to happen it's not even funny. Are ya'll ready? :D Please review and let me know your thoughts!**_


	13. Trust

_**So so so so sorry about the taking forever with updating. I just started a new job and with the training and 45 hours a week, it's hard adjustment for an eighteen year old! Hopefully you guys will enjoy this chapter and send me lots of encouraging reviews so I can post another chapter before the weekends up! **_

It was late and I was supposed to pretend like I didn't know that Maggie was on a date with some Alex guy. She had left dinner in the fridge and I was camped out in front of the TV waiting for Jonah to come over.

I had just heated up dinner in the microwave when I heard a knock on the door. Jumping up I immediately went to it, ready for my movie night with Jonah to begin.

Instead of seeing the tall, lanky blond haired boy, I saw my brother.

My heart jumped to my throat as that cruel smile cracked his lips. "Hey sis."

Before I could move, two men grabbed my arms as I struggled to get away. "Let go of me!" I screamed twisting my body back and forth desperately.

He tsked his tongue. "Nathan Ford should have listened while he had the chance." A pain exploded in the back of my head and everything went black.

Maggie sat at dinner, truthfully bored. Alex was nice enough to have dinner with now and then but it was sometimes like talking to a wall. When her cell phone began to ring she was nearly giddy to have to excuse herself.

"Hello?" she answered moving toward the door, hoping that her halfhearted goodbye was enough for her date.

"Maggie, Jonah called me, he can't find Anna," Jonah's mother Robin reported in a near panic. "He said when he got here the door was open and the microwave was still beeping with her food in it…"

Maggie was already in her car, abandoning her night completely. "Robin, this is going to sound very strange but you have to listen to me otherwise she could get hurt. Go home, lock your doors, and do _not _call the police." She knew how it sounded but she didn't have time to figure out a bullet proof lie at that second.

Robin didn't seemed convinced. "Maggie, what's going on?"

All Maggie could do was grip the steering wheel tighter to keep herself calm. "Never have I ever asked you to just trust me, so please, _please_ listen to me. Tell Jonah something, anything, just go home and do not breathe a word of this to anyone."

There was silence on the other end of the phone line. "Alright…" she finally said, but still sounded leery. "But should I be worried about her?"

"Yes," Maggie said soberly before hanging up and dialing again.

Sophie was sitting next to Nate at the airport. They had finally made it back to Boston but they were waiting on their flight to LA. Another flight, what fun. Nate was actually very surprised by how ready he was to see Anna and listen to her play her new songs. Sophie was humming something that he couldn't quite distinguish but he could tell she was in a good mood for the same reason he was.

Just then his phone rang. Immediately he recognized the number and smiled. "Anna, give me another day. Is it not enough we're nearly a month early?"

Sophie's cell phone also started to ring, but he wasn't paying very close attention, trying to focus on the boarding screen.

"Nathan Ford? Antonio Moretti. I'm with a very tired little girl that is about to be put on a plane and flown home to Missouri. How about we meet at my place for negotiations?"

Nate glanced over at Sophie who was seemingly taking horrific news herself. Her free hand latched onto his and for the first time, he held tight. The threat was real. This was the first time they've ever actually lost Anna. This was the moment that they didn't know if she was truly alive or not.

"I will be there," he said firmly.

Moretti chuckled slightly. "Now who's playing whose game?"

With that the phone call ended. Sophie wasn't crying, but she didn't look well. In fact she was extremely pale and it was beginning to worry him slightly.

"They took her from Maggie's home. Just up and took her and Maggie's nearly hysterical."

Nate watch Sophie as she obviously struggled to process everything, still holding on to his hand as though afraid that he would disappear. Her body was shaking slightly as she looked nearly confused. "They can't do that. They can't just take her away."

For the first time Nate did to Sophie what she had done for him so many times. Still holding her clammy hand, he placed his other palm on her cheek as her hysterics began to surface. Their eyes met and she clutched his hand tighter.

"They have her Nate. Don't let them hurt her," she whispered, tears building.

"We'll get her back, Sophie." To his surprise, he sounded strong. Leaning his forehead against hers he spoke again. "Everything is going to be alright."

Sophie choke on her first sob as she fell into his arms. As he held her, he texted _All of us on a flight to STL. Moretti has Anna._

My head throbbed and my stomach did flips when I finally awoke. I felt like I had been out for days. As I opened my eyes, the nausea worsened. I was in my room. My _old_ room. Where horses and playbills hung on the wall. Pictures of a much younger me sat on my dresser and bedside table. Everything almost exactly the way I had left it.

No. No. No!

Jumping to my feet and haphazardly reaching out for something to steady me as black spots dotted my vision, I stumbled to the door. Much to my surprise, it was unlocked. My head was spinning as I steadied myself against the wall and traveled toward the back door. I wanted to go home. I wanted my team, my family.

My stomach kept twisting and flipping as I neared the door, each step getting more and more difficult as my vision threatened to go completely black.

My knees buckled and I crashed onto the floor, but I kept trying. I could see the door now. I reached for it, clawing against the tile to get closer. My legs tingled as vomit burned in the bottom of my throat.

"Told you she wouldn't make it far," a voice said from right behind me. I wanted to fight, but I couldn't. A tiny prick shot into my body and my entire body almost immediately went limp.

"We're to keep her sedated until they arrive. Then Moretti has other plans for her."

Other plans? What kind of other plans?

Someone forcibly grabbed my jaw and forced me to look up into a face of a man I had seen many times but years ago. He was one of my father's minions. He laughed for a second before throwing my head into the tile.

All the struggling I had down to get away landed me right back at the beginning. The next time I opened my eyes I found myself right back in my old room, this time with dried blood sticking to my forehead and the door locked.

I was going to get myself out of there, but I hoped I wasn't going to have to do it alone.

Hardison was typing furiously in the back of the rented SUV as Eliot drove dangerously fast. They knew to avoid the highways, but the back roads to southern Missouri added on time. Sophie was in the back, completely silent as Parker tried to deal with her personal emotions.

Eyes seemingly lost, the thief took at the grifter beside her. "We'll get her back right?"

Sophie's heart broke into even more pieces at the slight crack in the usually emotionless thief's voice. Doing her best to look genuine, she smiled at her. "Of course we will."

Parker seemed to accept this. Sophie always knew things. Her and Nate both. She took her friend's words as solid truths, not knowing that Sophie was purely speaking out of wishful thinking and the very little optimism she had left in the world.

If she came out of this place without Anna, she came out with nothing.

Eliot seemed almost too focused on the road as he took another turn a little too fast for a top heavy vehicle, but he knew he wouldn't be getting any complaints, at least not today. He glanced over at Nate who had note laid out in front of him. Moretti was not a country man, but his late wife was. The country also provided the privacy he wished for and a nice distraction.

If they were hiding Anna, it also gave him a lot of places to do so.

Hardison made some sort of sound, before shaking his head. "According to the local paper, Anna's dead. She died almost immediately after she left in a freak car accident." Everyone's attention turned to him. "She even has a headstone next to her mother's."

Sophie was fed up. "What kind of man can do this to a girl? His own child."

Eliot shook his head. "He's sick. There are probably so many things that happened to Anna that none of us even know about."

Parker shifted uncomfortably. "Isn't that why she's one of us?" Everyone was now focused on her. She seemed to be barely holding herself together as she spoke. "We all know so little about each other, but we know that each one of us has gone through something horrible to get us where we are. Some of us were raised criminals, some of us became them, but it's all because of what happened."

Hardison was the first to speak. "Nana was the only person who ever cared until you guys."

Eliot was next. "Remember Will and Aimee Martin? They were the only people who even noticed I was gone."

"Archie. Archie cared about me, but until him I didn't even know why I was alive," Parker confessed as Sophie pulled her into a little hug.

"I had teams before, I've had a family, but no one who actually knew all parts of me, knowing my real name or not," she said in nearly a whisper. "Not until you all."

Everyone was quiet waiting for Nate's confession. He was staring straight out the windshield, seemingly lost in thought. No one was going to push him, and if he want to share it was okay. They all knew that even the smallest part of their past felt like they were pouring out their soul and standing completely naked in front of the world.

"When I lost Sam," he choked, barely noticing his own tears, "my entire world fell apart. I lost everything, I lost purpose. And then we became a team. I can't lose focus again."

There was a moment of silence. Each one of them mourning each other's pain and their own, but also hoping they would not have to mourn the loss of a teammate, a family member, or a child. Anna was theirs. They were Anna's. Because family's never gave up on each other.

_**You know how much I love to hear your thoughts! Review please! Love always, Marilynn.**_


	14. The Escape

_**I spent all my free time today working on this just so I was sure to give you guys an update! Here yall go! **_

I awoke again. This time there was a disc laying beside me with a post-it that said WATCH ME. My head still throbbed, but my body was much more willing to move with me this time. I stood and placed the disc into the DVD player and took a seat on the end of my bed. It was a news broadcast.

"_Earlier this week a woman was shot and killed in the middle of a press conference in San Lorenzo while trying to save her politician fiancé. The footage you are about to see is gruesome, and we advice young viewers to not watch."_

Sophie, it was Sophie! I watched as she stepped infront of a dark haired man in a suit as bullets rang out. My entire body started to tremble as I watched my mother fall to the ground. No… No no no no no!

I stood up and went to the door. It was still locked but I didn't care. I began banging on and screaming like a mad man. Throwing my entire body weight against it over, and over again, I screamed, demanding someone to unlock the door.

Finally, the lock clicked and two men appeared, one holding a syringe. I glared at them, anger boiling my insides. "Do we have to put you to sleep again little girl?"

I glared at him, but also held a small smirk as I shook my head. "You know something?" I said in almost a hiss as I walked closer to the men. "Eliot Spencer taught me how to fight."

Before they had time to react, I shoved the needle into the man's leg and threw a hard knee to the other's groin before slamming his face into the ground until he didn't get back up. The other man laid on the floor, already overcome by the drugs.

The stables were out the back door, and nearly a hundred yards away. But if I reached the stables, I had a better chance of getting out of here alive.

Then again, right at that moment, I wasn't so sure about how much I wanted to live, or how much I wanted to hurt my father. But right then, hurting someone sounded good.

Nate and Sophie sat on the couch across from Tony Moretti. He looked smug, but both Nate and Sophie also seemed in great control of their expressions as well. Hardison was about a mile away while Eliot and Parker were watching the house and trying to find the best manner or entry.

Two henchmen stood on either side of couch, as Sophie sat extremely close to Nate.

"We just want Anna back," Nate said calmly, not straying away from Moretti's gaze.

"You should have thought about that sooner. I gave you a choice. Now," Moretti held up a remote and pointed it at the screen. "You can-" he looked up at the screen. Anna was not in the bedroom, instead there were two men lying unconscious on the floor.

Sophie couldn't help but smirk. "Looks like she's not giving you a choice. You should know Anna's not a sit around and wait type of girl."

Moretti seemed to be considering his options, but smiled slightly to himself. "And you should know Anna gets reckless after she loses her mother."

Both Sophie and Nate glanced at each other. "Did you honestly think it was safe for you to have a very publicized death scene?"

Without a second thought, Sophie spun around and shoved a taser into one of the guard's legs as Nate threw the lamp into the other's face. They both looked at Moretti. "We're not fighters," Nate said calmly, taking a daring step toward the man. "But we don't like our Anna being threatened or hurt."

Moretti laughed mercilessly. "What? Is she going to taser me?"

Sophie smirked. "It's not us that you should be afraid of," two more bodies flew through the front door, and were gracefully stepped over by Eliot as he blew a stray strand of hair out of his face. "He's much more convincing than us."

Eliot was only two steps in when Moretti cracked. "Wait!" The three of them stopped and looked at him. "Anyone she runs into has permission to kill."

"I suggest you call them off and tell us where we can find her," Eliot demanded taking another step toward the man.

"If I know my daughter," he ignored Sophie's snort, "she'll head toward the stables," he grunted. "But I could call off my men, but they tend to pretty well do what they want."

With one swift motion, Eliot knock the sorry son of a bitch out.

"Hardison, we need a location," Nate commanded as he took off for the door, allowing Elliot to step in front of him when he neared the door.

"_She must have went shopping while in LA, because none of her trackers are on her,"_ he explained through the com, not making any one of them feel better. Sophie, uncharacteristically stepped up while Elliot was taking one guy down and shoved the taser into the neck of the other.

When she turned around, Nate was giving her a skeptical look. With a one shoulder shrug she smirked. "I think I understand why Parker and Anna like these things so much."

"_Okay guys, I've picked her up on camera. She's on the northeast side of the estate. Looks like she's headed for the stables. They have ATVs outside that building. When you get there-"_

"Head northeast, got it," Elliot grunted as he slammed another man's head into the doorframe.

"_And watch out for the gunmen. They're at all the doors and randomly patrolling the property," _Hardison added. _"And it looks like Anna is about to run into one…"_

Nate and Sophie climbed into a ATV Mule while Eliot took a four-wheeler. "Hardison-" Nate warned as he kicked the ATV into high and took off behind Eliot.

"_I know, don't address a problem if I don't have a solution. But you need to hurry your little asses up. Little sister doesn't look too hot."_

Running, running, running. Standing and fighting would only prove to be pointless since there is one of me, a very tired and tiny one of me with a terrible headache. Which, trust me, didn't go away when a hard fist caught me on the side of the jaw.

Immediately I cursed the way my mother designed her garden with four foot spacing in the six foot stone walls. I stumbled into the weeds and felt my palms scratch into the ground. Quickly spinning around, I landed a foot square in the man's stomach as he leaned into grab me. He bounced against the wall, but quickly recovered.

This was not going to be as easy as I hoped. Where was a good taser when you needed one?

My hand shoved his nose upward and I kneed the man in the crotch. So what if I was fighting dirty, he had a hundred pounds on me. Fighting dirty made it fair. He doubled over as I took off running again. I was in front of the stables.

Pushing the big door open, I was shocked to see a warm face from the past. "Jack!" I exclaimed through pants, throwing my arms around the aging man's neck. Time was not friendly to him, but then again, he had to be at least sixty by now.

"Annie?" he muttered, too shocked to return the hug. "You- you're dead."

Pulling away, I gave him an odd look. "I didn't die. I ran away, not died."

Jack shook his head and pulled me into a hug again. "I should probably question it more, but I wouldn't put anything past that father of yours."

I gave him a few more second before stepping back and looking up at him. "I need Shakespeare. I have to get to the Work House."

Jack nodded with a small smile. "I kept him in shape, I knew that what you would have wanted."

All I could do was give the man a brief hug before sprinting away to Shakes' stable. It was weird that he was kind of talking about me like I was dead and I didn't really have time to reminisce. I rounded the corner and smiled to see my beautiful Shakespeare still looking well and sturdy.

"Hey boy," I said softly, rubbing my hand down his nose.

"Have you seen a teenage girl-" A voice sounded from around the corner. My time was running out.

Throwing open the gate, I threw the saddle on and strapped it quickly. Without another thought, I slid my foot in and jumped on, kicking madly as I did so.

"Let's go!" I demanded, pulling him out of the stables and pulling his reins hard right.

I could hear them calling after me as I kicked harder. Engine revved on the ATVs as I headed toward the Office House. I could see two other's also heading toward me. Forcibly pulling the reins again I tried to figure out my options. Dad's orders are normally to shoot, but with me being a kid, most people would have second thoughts about opening fire. Then again… Gun shots rang out and I kicked Shakespeare again. I would take my chances once I made it to my father. I knew he would never have me killed in front of him. He didn't have the stomach for it.

Sophie grabbed Nate's arm. "They're shooting at her!"

Nate didn't respond, just willed the Mule to move faster as he could see Anna get lower on the horse. Pulling a one-eighty, he saw it best to let Anna come to him. Eliot had the same idea.

My head was nearly in Shakes' mane as I prayed for safety, knowing that was pretty well all I could do since I didn't have a handy dandy bullet proof vest on.

I willed myself to be protected, but I knew there was only a matter of time before my luck ran out.

"Anna!"

Immediately my head lifted at the familiar call. Maybe my luck hadn't ran out just yet. I was so relieved to see Eliot reaching out and arm to me as the four wheeler got closer to me.

I reached out for him, but just as I was about to grab a hold of him, Shakespeare go down hard.

My body flew forward and I landed hard on my shoulder and rolled in pain. My entire body was screaming as Shakespeare cried out in ways I had never heard. Holding my shoulder, I dragged myself toward him, and ran my hand over his nose. I saw the large hole in his side.

"No!" I cried running my hand over his chest. He was my best friend growing up and he was going to die because of me. Mom, Sophie, and Shakespeare.

"Anna, we have to go!" Eliot demanded grabbing arm, making me flinch in pain.

I regrettably stood as Parker appeared on a four wheeler next to us as I climbed on in front of Eliot. My eyes were closed as he took off, mostly because I was trying to focus on the wind on my face and not the pain exploding from my shoulder. I didn't know where we were going, but I knew I was safe with my team.

"Is she alright?" I heard Nate asked as I kept my eyes closed when we stopped.

"Dislocated shoulder."

I smiled through the pain, but kept my eyes squeezed closed. "So that's what's hurting like a bitch."

"Oo, it's purple," Parker chirped, poking it without a second thought.

I hissed in pain and listened to Eliot swat her hand away. "Why must you do that?" Eliot asked as I was sat down quickly in a vehicle.

"We'll get ice when we get out of here," a familiar British accent added, as two warm hands fell on my throbbing arm.

My eyes flew open. "Sophie!" I exclaimed, throwing my good arm around her neck and holding her tightly.

She laughed halfheartedly. "Hello to you too." She held me back and wipe my tears with her thumb. "Don't cry, my love. You're safe now."

I shook my head and looked at her. "But you were shot… I saw the video…"

Sophie frowned and shook her head. "It was staged, we should have been more careful with the video though."

A look was shot at Hardison who was in the driver's seat. "Okay, I'm sorry I didn't get the video off the internet fast enough. Jeeze. Ya'll think I can just do these things. 'Hardison make me a CIA level alias', 'Hardison make Sophie's make a fake miracle', 'Hardison drive the get away car.' Ya'll just don't-"

"Shut up and drive!" Eliot demanded as gun fire sounded again.

Sophie covered me with her body until we were far enough away, and I just tried to ignore the pain in my shoulder.

I looked up at Nate. I wanted to ask them about Shakespeare, but I couldn't. He wouldn't know. Maybe one day I could call Jack. Write him. Do something. But it was still unlikely. Still, I was home again, I was with my family.

"So how was San Lorenzo?" I asked the crew. I could have sworn I saw and awkward glance between Nate and Sophie before they all decided to answer with a sober "Fine."

_**So there you go! Tell me what you think! Reviews are love! Love always, Marilynn.**_


	15. Romance

_**Thank all of you for your patience! This new job is killing me, but it's rewarding at the same time. Tell me what you think!**_

Needless to say I was pretty darn stoked to be informed we had time off. Eliot popped my shoulder back in place on the way back to the airport (and if I thought it hurt when I popped out, it was nothing compared to when he forced it back in), Sophie examined my forehead that had a decent size gash in it (luckily I could cover it with my bangs) and decided that butterfly bandages would have to do.

So when we were told we had time off (two _whole_ weeks), Sophie immediately put what we did completely on me. I insisted that I could stay home or do my own thing, that way Sophie didn't feel like she had to babysit me while we were on a mini vacation.

The first day I spent out cold on the couch, my arm in a sling and well medicated on ibuprofen for a headache that didn't seem to go away. The next day, I still wasn't quite up to going out, but I did convince Sophie to rent movies and watch them with me. Parker also joined us, bringing the popcorn and sugary cereal.

"I don't get it," Parker said as Sophie dabbed her eyes as the credits of Sleepless in Seattle ran. I was propped up against the couch with Sophie on my left and Parker hanging upside down on my right.

Sophie made a sound of impatience and stood up from the couch to refill her glass of wine. "Parker, sometimes you just kill me."

Parker pouted a little before throwing her feet over her head and landed gracefully on her feet. "They didn't even know each other but they looked at each other with these big googly eyes and walked off hand in hand. I don't get it."

Clumsily standing up as well, I shrugged. "It's a movie, Parker."

"They should have jumped off the Empire State Building. Wayyy better ending," Parker added, doing a cartwheel in the middle of the room somehow missing the coffee table and my can of soda before jumping up and sitting on Sophie's counter.

"Parker, the ending was romantic," Sophie sighed taking a sip of her wine while I opened the fridge and pulled out a thing of string cheese out. Trying to open it with one arm in a sling was a little frustrating it though.

"Romance doesn't make sense. What is romance anyway?" Parker asked seemingly very earnest with this question. Truth be told I was a little curious as well.

Sophie sighed and leaned against the counter. "Romance is spontaneous and something that comes purely from the heart. It's spur of the moment and going with a gut feeling. It's when you do something because you know it will make him smile, or when he give you his coat at the first sign of a chill."

Sophie had a distant look in her eyes as she sighed softly. "It's taking a chance."

There was something in the way she said it that made me want to ask what she was thinking about, but Parker interrupted with an outburst of laughter.

"That's dumb!"

Sophie rolled her eyes and went back to sipping her wine while I seemed caught of her expression. She was remembering something that made her feel alive. Suddenly, I missed the boy from LA. The one who helped me up after running smack into him. The one who laughed with me, played games with me, and played piano with me.

Jonah.

I looked up at Sophie who was already throwing herself back down on the couch, enjoying her day of relaxing in sweats and a tank top while nursing her red wine. Parker was continually stuffing her face with a bowl of cereal.

Sliding my phone off the counter I moved toward the balcony.

Holding my breath, I went through my phonebook and selected his name.

"Anna?" His voice was concerned and anxious.

"Hey…" That was I could say. I was pulled out of my "aunts" house and was gone without a word. He could have very well thought I was dead for the last four days.

"Maggie said that you got home alright," he said simply.

"I'm sorry for leaving like I did," I said softly, leaning against the balcony railing and squeezing my eye closed and taking a deep breath.

"Yeah, you weren't really thinking when you left were you?" he sounded like he was smiling, but it hurt me to know that he didn't know the truth. The fact he honestly thought I just left with no goodbye or anything made me hurt.

"Sometimes I get that way," I replied turning around and sliding my back down the railing and sitting on the cold concrete.

"Think you'll come visit me?"

I couldn't help but smile. "Hopefully. My parents are taking a couple weeks off, but maybe when they go to work again? Besides, Aunt Maggie needs me around almost as much as Dad does."

There was a long pause, but we both knew we both were smiling softly, enjoying a hint of closeness being on opposites sides of the continent. In the short time we had been together, I had experienced my first hint of romance.

_He convinced me to go to the movies even though it was well past dark when it was over. We both preferred walking over driving, but darkness sometimes made me nervous when the team wasn't around. _

_For that reason I walked very closely to Jonah, allowing our arms to brush as the slightly cool breeze raised bumps on my arms. _

_There was a moment that I looked down and suddenly we were holding hands. Our fingers entwined in a way where at some moments I didn't know whose fingers were whose. _

_Our block was east but we headed north and I didn't care, there was something in the air that made me feel alive in a way that I had never experience. "Let's swing," I said suddenly as we passed a park._

_Jonah stood behind me and pulled my swing back and let it go and pushed me as I looked up at the starless sky. LA was too bright for real stars, and that annoyed me for anything else. _

_Suddenly he grabbed my swing and stopped the swing. He turned it and the chain crossed above my head. For a moment he just held my gaze as I gave him a questioning look. Without thinking, my eyes fell to his lips and then my eyes darted back up to his eyes. He moved close to my lips, but stopped only millimeters away. _

_I closed the distance, standing up and wrapping my arms around his neck and feeling the heat and the passion. _

_Perhaps the most enchanting part of the kiss was feeling both of us smile through it._

_It was comfortable, it was simple, it was beautiful. It was the first real kiss I ever accepted and returned. _

"I miss you, Anna," Jonah said kindly as I bit my lip at the memory.

"I miss you too… Don't forget me okay?" I said wrapping my arms around myself shivering in the cold Boston air.

"I couldn't if I wanted."

Sophie opened door to the balcony and gave me an odd look. "What are you doing out here? You're going to freeze!"

"I can hear your Mom. Call me sometime okay?" It hurt me by how sad he sounded.

"Okay, I promise."

"Goodbye, Anna."

I looked up at Sophie. "Goodbye."

Sophie gave me an odd look and put an arm around my shoulders as we walked back into the living room. Parker was gone and Sophie's glass of wine was half empty. Mentally I estimated she had gone through nearly a bottle by now.

"You said we can go anywhere I wanted right?" I asked as I crawled on the couch and snuggled into her side.

Sophie looked at me with concern. She had been giving me this look more and more often lately. At times I wondered if she thought I would just disappear, it was a look a worried mother would give.

"Yes, this is our vacation," she said smiling.

Without looking up at her, I spoke. "Can we go back to St. Louis?"

No one like the idea of me being anywhere near my father and being only a hundred miles up the highway from him made the entire team nervous enough to want to join us on a plane back to Missouri, but Nate was the only one who Sophie seemed to be unable to talk out of tagging along. The excuse of "girl time" didn't seem to work even.

From the moment we walked out of the airport, Nate and Sophie seemed to be on high alert, but also almost awkward around each other. He had kept his usual deal of not drinking, at least not getting drunk, when I was around. Yet there was something in the way he choked on his words that gave me the impression he was almost afraid of Sophie.

"So where did you want to go?" Nate asked as we climbed into the rented car and immediately blared the heat.

"The City Museum," I told them, double checking the time. It was 7:00 PM. Perfect.

"How late is it open?" Sophie seemed to doubt me but I nodded vigorously and began to work my way out of my sling. She immediately shot me a look. "Put that-"

"Sophie, I swear I'll be fine… Oh, and you may want to change into the outfit I put in your bag, same with you Nate," I informed them, knowing this was nothing like any museum either of them had ever been in.

We stopped by the hotel and each one of us had out own room in one suite. The moment she walked out of the room she gave me a look that quite plainly said I was nuts. "I'm wearing work out pants to a museum? Have you completely gone bonkers?"

I pursed my lips at her. "Look at what I'm wearing. I swear, we'll blend right in."

She shook her head and took a seat on the couch staring down at her plain Puma running shoes like they were an abomination. Then Nate appeared in a blue work out short with black pants with blue stripes. "Anna…"

"Come on guys, I know what I'm doing."

They didn't seem completely convinced but they didn't question me too much.

When we arrived at the museum, Sophie and Nate seemed completely unconvinced. "This is the museum?" she asked glancing around at the teenage workers wearing ear buds and there not seeming to be anything of much value around. That and also an aquarium, a maze of tunnels, and a ball pit.

I grabbed Sophie's arm and dragged her into the booth.

"Three for the aquarium and rooftop!" I said nearly bouncing as the lady slid me three different color wrist bands for each of us. Nate and Sophie helped each other while I did my own. Immediately I took off for the caves.

"You have to be kidding me, I cannot fit through here," Sophie snapped as I crawled through a fairly small hole in the wall.

"Come on, Mom!" I called but paused when I realized what I had said. Instead of letting on my hesitation, I kept going, crawling higher and higher into the ten story cave. Sophie grudgingly crawled after me followed but an even more gripey Nate.

Finally I took pity on them and took the stairs up the next five stories. I looked over at Sophie, "Aren't you glad you wore the tennis shoes?" I teased as we made our way up to the slide.

"This is a rather peculiar museum," Sophie muttered as Nate was nearly panting beside up. "Parker would love this place."

"You haven't even seen the best park!" I exclaimed as I sat down in the slide and flew down it. It twisted and hurt my hips, and I knew the three of us would be well bruised and feeling way older than we were by the time the night was over.

Sophie grabbed onto my shoulder as she tried to steady herself even through being dizzy. Nate preferred to lean against the wall and mutter something. Part of me wanted to tell him that if he behaved himself and at least tried to have fun there that I would show him where the bar was. But I decided against it knowing the look I would receive from Sophie.

I grabbed Sophie's arm and took off for the elevator.

"I used to tell Mom I wanted to live in the apartments in this building," I told her, reminiscing in the days where my mother was alive and we would take monthly trips to Saint Louis for our own fun.

"I wouldn't," Nate spat leaning against the corner of the elevator as Sophie pulled me into her and kissed the back of my head.

She's told me about her family. Little bits and pieces, but enough for me to know that not a single one of us were allowed to be happy children. Still, even in the most tormenting childhoods, there are guardian angels.

Nate looked at me, I could feel him studying my still swollen shoulder, the purple bruises under my jaw, the scabbing cut on my forehead. He wouldn't have tolerated being drug through a big kid's playhouse if it was anyone else, I knew it. There was small hints of guilt that leaked through his cold exterior.

Sophie told me that they were given an option to let Nate go back to jail and let me live, but they thought they could do the job keeping both of us safe. He felt guilty, she felt guilty, the team felt guilty about what happened to me. If Nate would have gone back to jail I would have never been able to live with knowing it was my fault.

Maybe that was the reason that I felt a need to prove to them I was truly alright. I was myself. Goofy, energetic, appropriately clumsy, and the girl who they loved.

The rooftop was my favorite part of the entire building. Without even waiting for the other two I ran toward the spiral tube. I climbed on my hands and knees up to the top and smiled as I reached the top.

If anyone had ever been to the City Museum in Saint Louis and been to the roof top you know the view. It's not the view from New York or Boston, but it's definitely a view to respect. One that someone can truly love.

I looked out into the view and took a seat on the cold concrete. Jonah should have been here.

"Anna's seemed a little distant lately," Nate said as he and Sophie decided to take the much simpler way to the top, the stairs.

"I found her talking on the phone yesterday on my balcony. I think it was to the boy she met at Maggie's," Sophie said as a little boy nearly plowed into her. This was _not _her kind of museum. Tomorrow she was demanding the art museum, or at least shopping.

"Hmm, could little Anna have a crush?" Nate teased throwing Sophie a mischievous glance.

She hated it when he did that. Actually she loved it and hated it. A small smile played on her lips as she paused and leaned against the railing. "Is poppa bear worried about his little girl?" She pulled his body a little closer to her and glanced around to be sure Anna wasn't looking. Then again, the girl had a tendency of just showing up. "Because I believe you said that was my job."

Her lips barely brushed his teasing him, daring him to speak of the unspeakable, to want the unthinkable, to cross a line just one more time.

"Sophie," he groaned as she captured his lips one more time.

She took a step away from him but let her fingers find his and pulls him up the steps toward their girl.

Nate and Sophie stopped as they looked down at the girl sitting Indian style on the concrete as she stared out into the night skyline. She seemed completely lost in her thoughts. Thinking for a moment, Nate took a seat beside Anna and looked out while Sophie stood behind them.

"Best place on Earth?" Nate asked pumping into her shoulder slightly.

"Nope," Anna returned softly, her lips cracking into a small smile. "But pretty close."

"It used to be didn't it?" Nate asked this time looking at her, studying her reaction. It was odd to see Anna completely captivated, it was as though she was in a trance.

"Definitely."

The distant sound in her voice concerned him a little more than he wanted to admit. "What changed it?"

_What changed it? _I found this question difficult. "A lot…" I muttered.

Finally I took my eyes off the lights and looked over at Nate. "In time." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

Nodding, I agreed. "In time."

Jumping up I smiled. "You didn't climb all those steps for nothing! Let's go down the slide!"

All I could do was laugh as Sophie groaned. "She's going to be the death of me yet."

Anna had fallen asleep almost immediately after she crawled into bed, leaving Sophie and Nate alone in the hotel room. Sophie couldn't help but look in on her from the doorway as Nate graciously poured her a glass of wine.

"She's perfect. Yet, never in a million years did I ever see myself here," Sophie told Nate as she took the glass from him, never taking her eyes off of the sleeping girl. "Sometimes I'm afraid that she thinks I'm replacing her mother, and sometimes I truthfully would love to take the place, but I know I never would."

Her words caught in her throat. "I just don't know how it's possible to love someone so much. I'm always afraid I'm going to wake up and find her hurt and unable to remove herself from the past hells she's had. I'm afraid she's going to bury herself in history. I'm afraid one day she'll just be gone."

Nate wrapped an arm around her waist as he stood behind her, looking in on the teenage girl as though she was a tiny child in a crib.

"Welcome to parenthood."

_**Annndddd SCENE! So what did you think? Please write a review! Reviews are love! Love always, Marilynn.**_


	16. Mountains

_**Another chapter! Yay! More is coming, just have to be a bit patient. Hope you all enjoy!**_

I'm not exactly sure how, but in less than a week after we arrived in Saint Louis our vacation was cut short by a job. Some mountain job that landed me in a fluffy coat and stuck in a tent with a very whiney Hardison.

I paced back and forth, being sure to keep my blood flowing, hoping that it would warm me a little bit. Finally I gave up and buried myself against Sophie's side and let her pull me against her. Hardison glared at me. "Yea, if I did that Sophie would look at me like I was crazy."

"I'm special!" I shot back sticking out my tongue as she laughed a little.

The bruises on my face had yellowed and were fading and the cut on my head had left a pinkish scar. My shoulder was still sore, but that was probably because I hated not being able to use it and ignored Eliot's advice. The cold only made it ache more.

"I don't do cold!" he muttered as a very angry Eliot stormed into the tent followed by a little too calm of a Nate.

"Quit griping," I snapped, growing tired of his whining. Truthfully, cold made me extremely cranky and there was no place warm enough on this campy thing for me to at least be able to feel my fingers. "Nobody likes cold."

No one seemed to argue with me as Sophie tugged on her Russian looking hat a bit more with her free hand while I put my gloved hands into one of her pockets for extra warmth. Elliot and Nate both stopped to take in the fluster of people.

Sophie approached him leaving me back to the bitter cold. A flirtatious smile was playing on her lips. There was always this flirtation between them, but it seemed to be getting a bit more open, even if it was just on Sophie's part. Then again, the woman pretty well flirted for a living.

Parker seemed to be her usual self, but it was obvious she didn't exactly love the cold either. Eliot was the only one who seemed pretty well unaffected.

Eliot affectionately ruffled my hair and pulled me into a big brother kind of hug before moving to Sophie and giving her a friendly embrace. But when he moved to Hardison, I noticed the embrace lasted an oddly long amount of time before finally Eliot pushed Hardison off.

"What the hell man?" Eliot growled snarling at the younger man.

"I'm just so damn cold…" Hardison defended wrapping his arms around his own torso and shivering madly.

"I don't care man," Eliot growled trying to put space between them.

"Please set me on fire or something. I'm all shivery and I think one of my nipples fell off-"

Eliot glared at Hardison. "Don't tell me stuff like that."

Parker suddenly seemed to reappear from somewhere. "Tell him what?"

Hardison seemed flustered. "Nothing!" Then he straightened a little. "Hey girl."

She Parker Punched him in the arm. "Hey."

Sophie chuckled softly while I just rolled my eyes at him and wrapped my arms around Sophie's again trying to get warm. That's definitely Hardison for you. He seemed to be watching Parker with an odd amount of interest as well. I felt like I was missing a whole lot from not going with them to San Lorenzo. A month was just too long.

Nate stood at the head of our circle.

"Okay Parker and Anna, can you climb a mountain right?" he asked us. I glanced at him and studied him. His words seemed more forced, but it a way that make it seem like he was physically having difficult. His body was bent in and he seemed to sway a little.

Parker snorted. "I can climb a skyscraper, I can _walk_ up a mountain," Parker said rolling her eyes slightly.

"It's not the same. Are there avalanches on skyscrapers?" Eliot growled punctuating his point with a _take that_ kind of look.

"No," Parker snapped, but then she looked down as though considering it. "But that would be soo cool."

Eliot then glanced at me. "And with that shoulder, you really don't need to be tagging along up a mountain either, kid."

I huffed slightly, mostly because I hated it when he called me a kid. Eliot was the only one who seemed to doubt my abilities and at time I wanted to show him I was a whole hell of a lot tougher than what he thought.

Still, I didn't argue, only because it would make me look more childish. "I'll stay in the tent with Hardison," I agreed.

Sophie gave Nate a skeptical look after glancing around at the team. "Exactly how dangerous is this gig you took without checking with us first?" she nearly snapped, pulling her fur jack on her a bit tighter.

Nate muttered something, which we all took meant a great deal more danger than any of us wished.

"It's _dangerous_. Ridiculously dangerous! It's like a danger cupcake with murder icing!" Hardison snapped. "And it's cold!"

"We need the notebook." Nate zoomed in on his iPad and pointed it out on the picture. "Now the rest of these teams are in holding until the blizzard clears, but Eliot and Parker, you're going to go up now."

Sophie stepped in. "Look, this is really, really dangerous. And I'm sorry but we're going to climb a mountain to find an executive's diary?" she looked at the rest of the team. "This is a lot of risk…"

"These people are taking a hundred homes a day. That's a hundred families out on the street." Immediately we all humbled. He was very good at doing that to us. If Nate knew how to do anything, it was to see past ourselves and view the bigger picture. Still he kept going. "They are either too afraid or too broke to fight this thing."

Eliot looked at him and as usual backed up the voice of reason. "I agree with Sophie. You don't bring in a bunch of thieves for a rescue mission."

Hardison pulled his hat tighter around his head and continues shivering. "This ain't even a rescue mission! The dude is dead Nate, it's a treasure hunt."

"I-"

Suddenly everyone in the tent began clapping and our eyes immediately found the reason. A man in a blue jacket, black pants, and sunglasses walked through the flap of the tent, pompously pulling his cap off and taking in the celebrity welcome.

"Thank you very much!" he said with a cocky smile as he pulled off his sun glasses. "Now come on! Where's my bloody drink?"

Nate turned back around, quickly capturing all of our attention. "Listen," he said soberly meeting each one of our eyes. "She doesn't need thieves because this is a treasure hunt, she needs thieves because this is a race."

Before I knew it I was tucked into a slightly warmed tent alongside Nate and Hardison. My coat was as tight as it would go around me and I had also pulled some other blankets around my little body. Nate looked at me humorously while Hardison kept trying to steal one of my blankets.

Part of me hoped that Sophie would share some "Grifter Christmas" but I had a feeling I was stuck at in the tent. There was no point in trying to convince anyone on letting me go up the mountain.

Ms. Scott was also sitting beside me, watching everything very closely.

"Aren't you a little young to be thief?" she asked.

I gave her a cool smile. "Aren't you supposed to just be listening?" I snapped.

"_Anna," _Sophie said in a warning tone before greeting another group of people with a whole new language.

Ms. Scott looked at me surprised when I sighed and looked back up at her. "I'm sorry. The cold makes me a bit snippy. Yes, I guess I'm a little young."

We all listened to Sophie, flirting/ manipulating with our mark in her amazing French accent.

Ms Scott just kept looking at the screen over me. "She's kinda scary."

That's one way to put it.

Nate seemed to take this more seriously. "You have no idea."

As Eliot and Parker were given directions from Hardison, Nate turned on a heater. "We need a buffer, another transmitter to get a better signal for Eliot and Parker," Hardison told us as Nate picked up the yellow walkie-talkie looking thing.

He seemed to consider for a moment before laying it down. "No, we can't send up another climber. No."

"_Are you sure about that?" _Eliot asked over the com as I noticed Ms Scott eyeing the device.

Nate on the other hand was focusing more at warning in Eliot's voice. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"_I've got a footprint, Russian."_

Even I rolled my eyes. Only Eliot could tell what Ethnicity someone was by their foot print. But still, I was playing babysitter to Ms. Scott as she quietly gathered her climbing supplies. Nate was checking in on Sophie and barking out commands to others, but I knew my current job.

Also gathering my own supplies I watched as Ms. Scott slid the transmitter into her pocket and slyly slipped out of the tent. Little did she know I was hot on her heels. I knew we only had moment before Nate realized we were missing. On the positive side, my com would tell me exactly how long.

Ms. Scott was not wasting anytime. I followed her every move, staying close to her tracks. The backpack was already irritating my shoulder, but there was no way I was going to be able to talk her out of it so I was just going to have to follow her.

"_Any suggestions, Nate?" _Sophie asked as the base seemed to have completely disappeared behind me.

I could hear him inhale, then his tone got thick with dread. _"No, I have a more pressing problem at the moment."_ There was a short pause as I realized that he finally noticed our absences.

My snow shoes were making my trip a bit easier and my goggles and scarf covered all my face except for my nose. Every breath inhales felt like I was inhaling tiny shards of glass into my lungs, but if I slowed down I would lose sight of Ms. Scott.

"_Sophie don't freak out-"_Hardison said slowly.

"_Is Anna in your tent? With Kar- oh shit…"_

I took a deep breath and tried to find the strength to speak. "I'm fine. I'm following Karen," I panted and coughed as Karen seemed to stumble a little in front of me.

"_Anna, get Karen and get your asses down here!" _Nate snapped. My body kept going but my focus drifted to the world of white. I had never seen so much snow before in my life. It was almost a completely white room that never ended. There were was no crease from where the snow ended and the sky began.

"_Anna, you need to-"_

I growled. "Shut up!" I snapped as we passed a supply tent. "Let me take care of this." Suddenly I lost my footing and slammed face first into the snow unable to move my hands fast enough to catch myself. The sound of static erupted in my ear, immediately killing my com.

Great. So now I was following a desperate woman up a mountain without any of the team. All I had was her climbing experience and a freaking compass to find our way back down safely. Pushing myself back to my feet, I notice Ms. Scott all face down in the snow.

Immediately I checked her pulse before wrapping my arms underneath hers and dragging her. We weren't far from the supply tent. It was just a matter of whether or not I could convince my body of that.

It felt like miles. The wind was pushing me the opposite direction and Ms. Scott may have been small but she still had at least fifteen pounds on me, not counting both of our equipment. When we finally arrived my knees gave out and I let my body rest on the floor of the tent. I didn't care that I was wheezing, or that my shoulder was screaming, or even that I had an altitude induced nose bleed. My body just curled into itself as my eyes slid closed.

"_Anna, Eliot, Parker. Anna, Eliot, Parker. Anna-"_

"Will you _quit_? You're driving me mad!" Sophie snapped as she gingerly sipped on a glass of champagne.

She was careful to keep her cover as she hoped Nate had some sort of idea.

"_I'm headed up."_

That was NOT the plan she had in mind. "Are you bloody serious? You're going to kill yourself!" Reaching her wits end, she ran her hand through her hair bit her lower lip. She promised Anna she would trust her as a thief, but it was getting more and more difficult to see her as anything but her child.

"_Would you rather go?"_ Nate snapped. He was breathing hard, he already didn't sound good.

Cold hands touched my face, shaking me awake. My eyes fluttered open, to see Karen sitting next to me on her knees, checking my pulse.

"How are you feeling?"

I sat up and immediately ran the back of my hand against my nose. Yep, still bleeding. "Fine," I groaned shuffling to my feet.

Karen was watching me curiously. I was pulling my equipment back into place. "How about you? Feeling okay?"

Staying sitting, she shrugged. "Twisted my ankle, but I'll live."

I nodded. Slowly I moved to the door of the tent and looked out into the snow. I was already decently far up the mountain and Eliot and Parker could most likely use a hand. Still, I didn't like the idea of moving up the mountain without an ear bud.

There are certain skills you acquire with being a criminal, one is knowing when someone is watching you. Normally this makes you more alert and aware, but since I already knew it was Karen, I was simply annoyed. Without turning around and looking at her I pulled the door to the tent closed again.

"What do you find so interesting about me you feel a need to stare?" I snapped, letting my full attitude show.

Finally, I shot her look that immediately made her cower. "You're not like other kids," she said quickly turning away from my glare.

I nearly snorted at her. "No, I'm not like other kids. Glad you noticed."

Once again I pushed open the tent to stare on into the snow.

"Are you this hateful to everyone?" Karen snapped, probably tired of my attitude as well.

Truthfully, it was a fair question. And I suppose the answer is yes. Yes, I'm hateful to everyone I've met, and I didn't show a soft side of me until I was ready and warmed up to them. Sophie, Nate, Eliot, Maggie, all of them had dealt with a very ugly side of me before any kindness ever broke through the surface.

"No. Just new people," I returned softer. "Ones who never stay anyway."

With that, the conversation died. She seemed to accept this and I was glad. But at the same time I made a mental note of learning how to be kinder to people. At first I wondered if it was going to become like a con, where I would have to force myself to act a certain way to please people. That was the part that made me more curious than anything else.

After a few more moments of contemplating my options, I looked over my shoulder at Karen. "Can you get back to camp by yourself?" I asked glancing down at her ankle.

She gave me a quizzical look. "Yes?"

"Okay, I'm going to go find Eliot and Parker. Just head back to camp and tell Sophie to freaking breathe. I can pretty much feel her panicking from here…" I rolled my eyes and tugged my ear warms to wear they were snug against my forehead as well.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Karen nodding as I stepped out in the cold. Fifty yards in, I was beginning to wonder what I just gotten myself into.

_**AND There you go! Your reviews help me get motivated to write after a long day at work! So please review! Love always, Marilynn.**_


	17. Parents

_**I know you all have been waiting and I give you a short chapter! I'm sorry! But I'll be on a plane all day Saturday so hopefully I'll get some typing in then. I have the next two chapter hand written, but finding time to get to my computer and type anything but research papers has been hard. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**_

My legs drug in the snow, no longer as willing to be picked up and forced against the wind. My head ached and my nose was dripping with blood still. Forty-five minutes in, I was beginning to worry.

Sweat salted my lower lip, even through the cold. My weakness I found only annoying and taunting. It was like I was proving everyone's doubts. Why couldn't I be like Eliot and Parker? Why could I be like Nate or Hardison, or even Sophie? Yes, I could grift, pick pocket, and fight well enough to save my life if I had to, but I had more weakness than all of them.

I was five foot four. I was small, almost too small to be healthy. My body was covered in scars, abuse rang throughout my history more than hope. Perhaps it was my anger with myself that kept my body moving up that mountain. Perhaps it was my fear of dying that I only sometimes had. Or maybe it was just because I was too cold to think of stopping.

Up ahead, I saw two snow mobiles that made me halt for a moment. It was obvious it was a trap. Further ahead I could see Parker and Eliot coming toward me. I circled around and hid behind trees as they neared the snow vehicles.

Both of them stopped. Obviously sensing the same thing. Suddenly a man appeared out of the cover of snow and grabbed Parker, holding a knife to her throat. I moved quickly, placing a hard fist into his kidney while grabbing his wrist to be sure Parker remained unhurt.

She spun around and landed two kicks in his gut and knee underneath the chin. Of course Eliot punctuated the battle with a knockout blow to the head.

Both of them turned and stared at me. "Hey," I stuttered through chattering teeth.

"Nate's going to kill you if the cold doesn't first," Eliot snapped throwing the limp body on the back of the snow mobile.

Parker on the other hand seemed more sober than usual. She looked at me for a long moment before pulling me into a hug. It wasn't a usual Parker hug. It was warm and I could feel all her venerability.

For a few moments, I held her, and while I did, I felt like Sophie.

She broke away from me and turned quickly to climb onto a snowmobile. Knowing she was waiting for me, I scurried on behind her. My arms were wrapped securely around Parker's torso and I buried my face into her back. Damn it was cold.

When we arrived in tent, everyone was silent watching the screen. It was Karen's husband and his final words. Sophie noticed us first, before nudging an ill looking Nate and tossing her head towards us. He looks over his shoulder at us before giving me a look from hell.

If I wasn't already shaking I knew the look would have given me chills.

Karen suddenly spun around and pulled me into a hug. "Thank you," she whispered tearfully.

_Man, what's up with all these hugs?_ I asked myself as I warmly accepted.

Let's just say the flight home was full of awkward silences between Nate and me. I knew something was coming, something that I most likely disserved. Sophie continued to be her usual self but plainly said she would not be nearly as friendly when we arrived back home.

When we pulled up in front of Sophie's apartment, I drug my feet the entire way. Something awful was waiting for me. I shouldn't have climbed the mountain. I should have informed Nate that Karen was sneaking away. I knew what I had done wrong.

"Sit," Nate hissed, commanding me like a dog onto the couch. Humbled by fear, I obeyed.

Sophie took a seat on the chair to my right, but was not playing my ally. She was Nate's wingman tonight and I was the piece of meat that was going to get ripped to shreds.

"We need a set of rules," Nate said pacing back and forth, keeping the coffee table between us. "A set of rules that we all understand. You, Sophie, and me."

"Rules that apply to you, and not the rest of the team," Sophie added folding her hands together, seeming much calmer than Nate.

I kept my mouth shut, knowing that exclaiming how that wasn't fair would only put me in even hotter water. Still, I already didn't like where this was going.

"And wipe the stone face off," Sophie hissed making me jump. Never had she ever had such a violent tone with me before. I look at her, my hurt registering plainly on my face.

_Damn it._ Sophie thought as Anna looked at her, her brow furrowed, her eyes a mix between pain and fear. _This parenting thing is not easy. _

Nate ran a hand through his unruly hair and shook his head. "This isn't a game Anna. You are a thief, yes. A damn good thief. You can con, steal, pickpocket, but now things change. You," he stopped pacing and looked at Anna with eyes that were unreadable, "you are the kid first. Acting out, pushing boundaries, not obeying orders, _acting _like a kid has gotten you demoted."

Sophie looked at him, surprised but somewhat pleased with his words. Her gaze went back to Anna. The girl's mouth had formed into a thin line and her eyes were blazing with rebellion. There was definitely going to be a fight now.

"That's not fair! You can't do that!" she snapped, jumping to her feet.

Sophie also got to her feet, not sure if she was going to have to try to calm Anna or Nate first.

"Oh, I most certainly can! You act like a child, I will treat you as such! From now until I say otherwise, you are either with me or Sophie on a con, or _not at all. _You keep this ridiculous behavior up and there will be further consequences!" Nate snapped as Anna crossed her arms and glared at him like he was stupid.

"You two do realize you are _not _my parents. You cannot-"

"Anna!" If Sophie had wanted to remain the good cop, all hope was now lost. Anna turned at looked at her. The regret of her words already playing on her face. No, she didn't mean it, but she had said it. The damage was done.

"If you want to leave, then do it," Sophie hissed, her eyes a dark fury that Nate can't even admit he's seen before. Anna was watching her as Sophie glared down at the girl she had claimed as her daughter, who will always be her daughter, the girl who just told her that she was not her parent. "I have opened my home to you. I threatened to leave a family I love so you could have someone. I have cried over you. I have cried for you, and I have opened my heart for you."

Hot tears pricked at Sophie's eyes. She was hurt, angry, and even sad, and if Sophie wanted to prove something to Anna she was going to do it.

"I am your parent. Nate risked his life earlier to be sure you were okay. He is your parent. We have vowed to protect you and this is the way you behave?"

Her words were getting louder. Anna was trembling now, tears in her eyes, her lip quivering. "If you don't want us to be your parents, then tell us now. We don't have to be!"

Nate stood in shock at Sophie's raw emotion. The tears streaking her cheeks as she threw her hands around in the anger that she felt. Anna had crossed a line. Actually she had crossed more than one line today and she was not going to forget it anytime soon.

"I'm sorry Sophie…" Anna whimpered, her arms now around herself and her head hanging in shame. She was sobbing, her entire body shaking.

Still, Sophie wasn't ready to give in. "Anna, what do you want from us? Where do we stand in your life?" she snapped.

Anna looked up at Sophie and ran to her. Her arms around her torso, sobbing like the child she was. "I didn't mean to say it. I love you. I'll listen. You're my mom and dad."

Sophie was frigid to the hug at first. Almost unwilling to give up the fight. But finally she wrapped her arms around the girl.

"No video games, no TV, and you are stuck with me or Nate until we say otherwise," Sophie demanded, but her voice falling back into its soft nature.

"Yes ma'am," Anna said into her shoulder.

Sophie looked up at Nate who seemed to be in awe of the situation. "Anything you would like to add?"

Nate shook his head and cracked half a smile. "I think that about takes care of it."

Sophie broke away from the hug and held the girl at arm's length. "Go on to bed. Tomorrows a new day."

Anna nodded, kissed her now officially proclaimed mother on the cheek and then her father. She whispered an apology again before disappearing down the hallway. Sophie crumbled into the chair, wrapping her arms around herself desperately.

"That girl…" she half groaned.

"That girl."

Nate walked over to her and stood above her before leaning down and capturing her lips with his. "Our girl."

_**You all know how much reviews motivate me! I promise to start typing the next chapter tonight! Love always, Marilynn.**_


	18. Grounded

_**So the chapter should be coming a little more frequently since things have slowed down a little for me. If you have any ideas please let me know!**_

Sophie sat on the couch, her legs curled underneath her, a mug of tea hovering at her lips. She was in thought. That much was obvious. It almost hurt to watch her quietly contemplate everything, knowing that one of the topics was me.

Her dark hair shaped her face at the moment, and even though it was slightly messy, she looked like a goddess. I never understood how she was able to wake up looking beautiful, but I assume it's a power you're born with.

Without even turning her head she spoke. "Are you just going to stand in the hallway all day?"

I nearly jumped, wondering how long I had been watching her. I had only just woken up and went to get something to drink.

"Sorry ma'am," I muttered hanging my head and rushing toward the kitchen.

"'Ma'am'?" Sophie repeated, the smile registering in her voice. "Last night is in the past. Come sit with me, love."

Slowly moving around the couch, I sat down on the far side. She gave me a humored look. "I'm not going to bite."

I moved closer to her until she wrapped her arms around me and pressed her lips into my hair. Finally I relaxed into her embrace and took a deep breath. We were silent for a moment, the smell of Sophie's tea warming my nostrils. The warmth was comforting.

"I'm sorry," I nearly whispered speaking of my terrible behavior from the night before.

In reply she merely shushed me and held me tighter. There was a bond that we had shared for a long time that could have been ruined, but instead it continued to grow stronger. My mother could never hate me. She was my mother. Sophie could never hate me, and though she held no blood relation, she was my mother.

"DIE!" I yelled at the TV as I sniped Hardison's man again. I threw my hands up in the air as "PLAYER ONE WINNER" flashed on the screen. "What now, boy?"

"How the hell- you're cheating somehow!" Hardison accused thrusting a finger toward me as I stuck my tongue out.

Resting a hand on my hip, I blinked at him. "How could I possibly be cheating? You're the hacker!" I threw back, our argument growing in volume.

"You- you- you did somethin'!" he pressed grabbing his controller. "Let's go another round!"

"Sorry," I teased doing a cartwheel through Nate's living room, priding myself on my increasing grace. "I've got stuff to do. Places to be. People to talk to."

"Liar," Parker threw in, sitting at the table working on the locks that she has already mastered, but they kept her hands doing something. "Sophie and Nate said you're on house arrest. We're supposed to stop you if you try and leave."

I pouted at her, about to give her an argument.

"But Anna wouldn't try to leave, would she?" Nate said, suddenly appearing at the top of his stairs.

I shook my head, my fear of him still fresh. "Of course not, sir, I was merely hoping you had something for me to do."

Sophie grinned a little appearing behind him. "Ma'am and sir. Wow. Let's ground her more often."

Part of me wanted to stick my tongue out at her but I was still a little worried about doing so. Walking on eggshells was not my specialty, at least not around the team. Instead I looked down. "Anything you need help with?" I mumbled.

Sophie smiled a little at me before glancing at Nate. "She's like a puppy dog," she joked patting my head as she walked by. "Good girl." Tossing her a slight glare she laughed. "Actually we're going to talk to a client, would you like to come?"

I nodded. "Please!"

"No ma'am? No sir?" Eliot tsked. "That's odd."

I did stick my tongue out at him as well as steal the piece of steak he just cut off his plate with my quick fingers. I popped it in my mouth as I followed Sophie and Nate out the door.

Nate immediately pointed out a blonde woman who almost reminded me of the tramp on "Parent Trap", not that I said anything. Sophie sat down at the table first.

"Hello, I'm Sophie and this is Nate and Anna," she said sweetly, her usual calm voice working wonders on the woman's tense shoulders.

"I'm not usually one to ask for help…" the woman said quickly as I took a seat close to her. She was tense, but Sophie had a way of using her tone and making everything seem alright again. It was almost frightening. Still, the anger and frustration was what led her to us and Sophie would let her keep enough of it to get us to understand the problem.

"But Morris Beck should be shot for this. In the last ten years, three of the buildings he has constructed collapsed." She slid a picture of a destroyed home toward us. "'Supporting wall fell in Kansas', 'Foundation gave away in Atlanta', 'Crane collapsed in Milwaukee'. Two comas and so many worse injuries. Even four fatalities."

Sophie shook her head and glanced at Nate. "That's just awful. Those poor people."

Nate just shrugged it off. "Yeah, yeah, it's all a scam. Cheap materials, unskilled laborers."

Sophie looks extremely relaxed as she nearly rolls her head toward him. There is a slight impatience showing through her calm exterior. It's obvious she hates it when he blows things off like that. "There must be some chain of responsibility."

Nate laid the papers down. "No. These guys never go to jail. Never."

Still, the blonde attorney didn't give up. "Beck designs the buildings himself. Personally supervises every job. _Somewhere _he has the original blueprints; he needs them for certification."

Nate nodded. "So he knows how to cut corners."

Sophie frowned and straightened herself in the chair. "What's the status of your lawsuit?"

"When I worked for the firm I had an army. Assistants, paralegals, other attorneys. Beck got me fired. He's burying me in motions, fighting me."

"Yeah, he's running out the clock," Nate added plainly.

"Please," the woman said, the desperation registering in her voice as her shoulders tensed and her voice wavered. "I need these for my case by next week or the suit gets dismissed." She looked from Sophie to Nate. "I need a miracle."

Nate looked at her for a moment. "Okay," he said finally, standing up and extending his hand out for the woman. "We can do miracles."

The woman looked over at me as we all stood. "Are you just an observer?" she said with a small smile. "You haven't said a word."

I glanced over at Sophie who seemed a bit humored. "I'm grounded…" I muttered before following Nate out the door.

Nate was already halfway down the block and I was nearly running to keep up. "What's the plan-Stan?" I pressed smiling sweetly.

"Pretty much a smash and grab. Nothing too complicated. You're stuck in-between Sophie and I," he glanced over at me with a small smile.

I looked up with him with a slightly pouty look. "I couldn't help Parker or Eliot?"

The look I received was one with little patience and a fair amout of seriousness. "Anna, may I remind you-"

I huffed and crossed my arms. "I know, I'm _grounded_."

A cute pencil skirt had it's pros but it didn't really help me look any older than I was. Evenually I was shoved into (modern) Egyptian clothing and shoved between Nate and Sophie, only to be introduced as a tag along daughter.

"Yma Sumac… Dexter Gordon and…" The man behind the desk gave me an odd look.

"Zoila Sumac," Sophie responded in a perfect Egyptian accent. "She is my daughter; simply along for the experience."

"How do you do?" I replied matching her accent and smiling softly.

The man didn't look any less confused. "You're here with Masaari Global?"

Sophie looked almost bored. "We have a 10:30 with Mr. Morris Beck."

The man scrambled through some more papers as I tried to hide my impatience. Sophie sent me a glance that told me she was also unimpressed by the man's lack of ability to stay organized but we both stayed quiet.

"Ah, yes. Here it is! Right this way!" he headed up the steps not giving us much time to follow behind him.

Eliot passes dressed as a janitor, pushing a cart as an obnoxious blonde's voice echoes down the staircase. She is obviously complaining in a voice that screams "heiress who never lifted her well manicured finger in her life" about something I honestly really didn't care about on a normal day. But when you're grifting, everything you hear you have to care about.

"Oh, come on, Tommy. Be nice. I just need two minutes," she whined, a hand positioned palm up, obviously used to just being handed everything.

The man behind the desk raised an eyebrow and seemed less humored than she wished. "'Need' is a relative term, Miss Beck." He seemed to be used to her attitude and completely unfazed by the extreme snootiness. Slowly taking a breath he continued. "This is another issue with your car?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head. "It's totaled, okay? And the cops are being totally frosty, and I totally wasn't drunk or anything."

Nate and Sophie both glanced at me and I wanted to say _Hey, I'm nothing close to that!_ This girl was as bratty as they came and as spoiled as anyone could dream. Designer clothing, daily trips to the salon, a face full of make up to make her appear prettier than she was. Sorry, but I'm thankful for my discipline.

Except when I'm actually being disciplined.

"Daddy needs to fix!" She added propping a hand on her hip.

"Well, I suggest you try to get a moment with him at the party," the man replied, slowly losing his patience.

She scoffs and rolls her eyes. "The one where he's drunk and making speeches every ten seconds?" She stared at him. "Fail."

Our little escort clears his throat gaining both of their attention. The blond glances over at us. "Oh, look, important people. Dull." She turned back to the man at the desk. "Tell Daddy I'm taking the Aston."

She gave a half wave before pushing into me on her way out the door. I rolled my eyes, but remained silent.

Sophie seemed a little peeved while Nate brushed it off. The man who had been talking to the snob rounded the desk to us. "Sumac and Gordon? Masaari Global?" Sophie pulled down the scarf that was fashionably covering her head and pressed her palms together as the man bowed slightly toward us. "Tom Case. I'm Mr. Beck's VP of Development."

Just as he was about to go on we were interrupted again by a even less happy man.

"I don't make threats, I make promises!" A man in a nice suit but showing a bit too much stubble slammed into the jitter assistant as he passed making the poor assistant rush to clean up and the other man seem even more pissed off. He turned around and leveled with a man that I had no doubt was Mr. Beck. "You want to be on my good side, buddy. I promise you, anybody can get got."

Without another word he also pushed past Sophie and Nate, running smack into me and nearly knocking me over. The jittery assistant rushed to my aid as Sophie looked even more annoyed.

Mr. Beck walked over with a cool grin on his lips. "Apologies. Mr. Capriotti still thinks unions matter." He tossed us a wink as he looked at the assistant still muttering more sincere words of concern. "Please, Potter! I went over those murder mystery plans. It's too easy. Try it again."

I rushed after Sophie and Nate who were following behind Mr. Beck. "Again? Sir, that took me six months!"

"Lock it up by tomorrow night, Potter. Don't disappoint me!" He commanded as we all were seated in his office.

Nate was going to take the lead as the spoke's person, making it appear that Sophie is the one that is really in charge. She was there as the beauty and brains in the operation. The best way to express power was with no words at all, when people do the talking for you.

"Mr. Beck, if I may, Masaari Global-"

Nate doesn't even get to finish before the man jumps in.

"Has fingers in pies across the Near East, solid DOD ties, and, as far as I can tell, exclusive security and construction contracts with guys who live in palaces." He waits for one of us to either correct or confirm his story, but when the only response is silence he chuckles. "You guys try very hard to remain invisible, but I'm Morris Beck!" The way he says his own name annoys me and I now know that his daughter definitely had to take after him. "I want to know something, I know it. And I know this is an area that Beckworx can benefit."

Nate straightens in his seat. "Let me ask you, can your firm handle construction in a remote desert locale? We're talking roads, palaces, bunkers."

Sophie speaks for the first time in front of him. "Someone who can be discreet. As you know, there has been a lot of unrest."

Beck tries to play off his excitement with reassurance. "Trust me, nobody gets over or through a Beckworx wall." He motions to the computer and hits a button. "Here." Sophie is the only one who moves, once again giving Beck the idea of who holds the power. "Pulmonary figures. I took the liberty. We can begin planning an excavation inside of two weeks, and complete out first milestone within a year."

"May I email these quotes to my people for review?" Sophie asked leaning over the computer.

"Of course. What's the address?"

She quickly positions herself in front of the keyboard. "It's faster if I type it."

Hardison is singing over the com as she sends the email, but I tune him out to stay focused on Beck.

"So, what's up with the rugrat?" he asks finally, after several funny looks.

I resist the urge to glare at him.

"I prefer to travel with my mother on business," I reply, my accent still holding strong. Sophie nods and takes her seat back beside me. "I plan on one day also being a part of the business."

Beck laughed. "You should be proud Ms. Sumac. All my daughter wants to do is spend my money. Maybe I should have taken her on more business trips."

We all laugh politely. There were so many people that this man was responsible for hurting and he's complaining about his spoiled daughter. Sometimes I wanted to hit people and remind them that everything in their life is their own fault.

"Zoila is a very bright girl. She will be running Maasari Globals in no time," Nate added adding a bit of sucking up to his character.

Beck smiled and looked back at his computer. "Well, my eleven o'clock will be here soon. Hopefully we will be in touch."

With brief goodbyes we headed out the door. As we all entered the car I smiled at the sight of an Aston being pulled over about a block away from the office building. "Sucks for her," I spat crossing my arm and smiling evilly.

"Don't worry, Daddy will get her out of it," Sophie said, looking extremely annoyed.

"Well, let's see. Speeding _and_ driving without a license…" I held up the girls wallet that I had taken when she ran into me.

Sophie glanced at me with shock that slowly changed into laughter. "Anna, you little pickpocket!" she chuckled. "I'd be surprised if you didn't retaliate at least a little. Let's see the other wallet."

I took it out of my scarf and handed it up to her. Nate chuckled and shook his head. He was very impressed. "Spiteful are we now?"

I grinned and shifted slightly. "So, since I did well-"

"Don't push it," the replied simultaneously.

_**And there ya go! Jonah will be returning soon, but I want to keep the team the main focus. Please let me know what you think! Love always, Marilynn.**_


	19. A Little Mystery With Murder

_**Updated fast enough for your liking? :P Tell me what you think!**_

Turns out, we if fact did not have the blueprints, we had something, but not the blueprints. Long story short, I was stuck in some sort or sweater with miserable feeling jeans while Sophie French braided my hair outside of a mansion after trying to keep my curls manageable became too much. We were going to a murder mystery on some private island.

"Who am I again?" I asked as I felt Sophie put in the hair tie and start working on the bow that matched my sweater.

"Trixie Belden. She's a girl detective," Sophie said, muffled slightly by the bobby pin in her teeth.

"I thought Nancy Drew was the girl detective?" I said giving her a funny look as she guided me through the door, automatically switching into our new dialects.

"She's one of them. I have the books somewhere. You can read them while you're on lockdown," Sophie teased giving my shoulders a squeeze as we weaved in and out of people.

She attracted a lot of attention in her late ninetieth century attire that had the modernized touches of Sophie. Besides purple and black really looked good on her. Now my itchy red sweater was not nearly as flattering, especially not with my matching rainboots that my pants were tucked into. Of course Sophie would be able to look like a goddess while I looked like Little Orphan Annie's brunette sister.

Sophie was keeping me close, as promised, until I was to be passed on to Nate. Most kids when they're grounded don't get to go out with friends, I'm stuck playing dog to thieves. This was not going to be fun.

Poor Potter came up to us almost immediately, seeming even more distressed than earlier. "Miss Sumac, Zoila, so glad you decided to come."

Sophie seemed extremely enthusiastic. "I would not have missed it! I love the detective stories! And Zoila was very excited to hear about a costume party."

"Yes, this is very interesting. And what are you dressed as?" I ask politely.

"Oh!" Potter looks down at his wardrobe that was barely any different than the attire we had seen him in before. "I'm, uh, Mannix." When he didn't get much of a response he just kept talking to fill the silence. "If I have to run the party I should dress up, right?" He sent a desperate smile in our direction which Sophie only halfheartedly returned.

"Very creative!" I tried, giving him a small confidence boost. The poor guy was such a puppy of a person it hurt to see him crushed again.

Suddenly Tommy Case appeared in a much more elaborate costume. "Potter, you're supposed to be wrangling his daughter, not-" he sent Sophie and me a classic worker's smile, "-bending Miss Sumac and her daughter's ears." There was a beat of silence where Potter just looked at him slightly confused. "Go!"

The poor man skittered off as Sophie looked at Mr. Case with a look that I recoginized as a "go apologize to Eliot/Parker/Hardison" look. "My ear was not bent, Mr. Case." She straightened herself a little before smiling again. "Tell me, who are you suppose to be?"

I glanced behind the man to see Potter arguing with the bratty girl from the office in some sort of red flapper dress with a string of person down to her crotch. _Classy_.

"What?" Mr. Case jumped back to attention after also following my gaze to Potter and the little tramp. "Oh, uh Bucket. Inspector Bucket."

Sophie gasps with pleasure and smiles at him. Mr. Case obviously enjoys her attention. I on the other hand am more focused of the little tramp throwing herself at one of the security officers. Part of me already knows she's going to be up to a whole lot more trouble than any of us planned.

She continues ignoring Potter as he looks like he's about to completely fly off the handlebars. Finally he looks over at Mr. Case for help, who excuses himself and goes to aid the situation.

"You have to admit, you're glad I'm not that bad," I whispered to Sophie as she took a glass of champagne off of a tray and sipped it, also taking in the interesting show.

"At least you don't crash my cars and whore around. You're right, I should be grateful you just nearly get yourself killed every now and then and completely disregard safety," Sophie said sarcastically.

Even though it was tempting to snap something back about some of her own personal mistakes she made in the past, I didn't knowing how quickly she'd be willing to add more hell to my life. We moved throughout the building, nodding politely at people.

"_Hey, Sophie, why did you have to dress me up like Howdy Doody?"_ Eliot snapped, his usual annoyed self.

I looked at Sophie with a raised eyebrow, but she just rolled her eyes. "Actually, Charlie Siringo was a real-life cowboy and a Pinkerton detective."

"_Why couldn't you have picked me something normal, like Hardison?" _ Eliot growled. Oh, what I would give to see what he looked like right now.

Just as I expected, this started a war on the other side of the com. _"Excuse you? No way in the world I'd have picked Encyclopedia Brown," _Hardison quipped. _"These ugly-ass penny loafers…"_

Sophie sighed and ran a hand across her face. "Hardy Boys. Hardison, you are the Hardy Boys and Parker's Nancy Drew."

I looked up at her, the complaint registering on my face before I can even get the words out. "Why does Parker get to be Nancy Drew? Why couldn't she be Trixie What's-Her-Face?" I whined putting one hand on my hip and pulling at my collar with the other.

She shot me a look that silenced me, for now.

Eliot was the next to complain. _"Yeah, well, why did Nate get to pick his own gear?"_

"Because he's just a bit more of a whiny baby than the rest of you," she sighed glancing around the room we just entered. "This house is a bloody maze. Where is Nate?"

"I'm right here," he said moving swiftly down the staircase in a suit jacket with a red sweater and a collar underneath. Thought I have to say, I really like his hat.

Sophie crossed her arms and gave him a once over. "You promised me you'd take this seriously."

"I did. I am." He said calmly as Sophie was obviously losing her patience with the group.

"Look at this. This is a proper costume! Irene Adler, only woman smarter than Sherlock Holmes," she said motioning to herself then motioning to me like I was some sort of dressed up puppy. "Trixie Belden, girl detective!" Then she gave him a harsh look. "That-"

Nate was ready for her challenge. "Ellery Queen, world's greatest detective." Of course he didn't give her time to argue. "Okay, people, what are we looking at?"

Personal opinions went away and the business side of us lit up.

Parker was the first to go. _"Well, Beck's daughter is having fun. Annddd there's that union guy, Capriotti."_ There was a brief pause. _"Oh! And the island's totally off the grid. It has its own power plant."_

Just then the lights shut off and I almost immediately jumped against Sophie who stumbled forward and hit into Nate's chest. He let out a hard_ ump._

When the lights came back on, Sophie was in Nate's arms as I clung to Sophie's wrist. All three of us were red faced, but I was pretty sure for different reasons.

"_That's why the blackouts."_

The three of us cleared our throats as we separated. _"Security's top-shelf. All the upper floors are locked up for the night," _Eliot added.

Nate nodded to himself and glanced around the room. "Okay, what's our getaway?"

"_I'm still working on it." _

Nate fixed his hat and glanced at Sophie. "Alright. Let's go steal a murder." He offered Sophie his arm and they headed up the stairs, both of them glancing behind to be sure I wasn't about to make a sudden disappearance. I freaking loved being babysat.

Jazz tempo had the room of adults swaying comfortably. Sophie's hand rested inside of Nate's. His hand on her hip, hers on his shoulder. They seemed comfortable as they danced to the band.

Sophie seemed concerned about him, I could tell just by the way she looked at him, and by the tight body language, I could tell there was something to worry about. They had been acting different toward one another lately. More careful. Studying each other's actions, reading body language and facial expressions. Something was just different.

I noticed Sophie was trying to gain his eye contact but was failing as he searched the room. Suddenly I felt something knock against my chair. Mr. Beck was stumbling into the center of the room, as glass of liquor in his hand and already slurring.

"Greetings everyone! Greetings and bienvenue!" His hand motions enlarged and Sophie motioned me to her. "Willkommen. Welcome to this year's gala!" Haphazardly spilling half his drink he focuses to some men on his left. "Or as I like to call it, 'Humiliation 101.'" He bursts into a fit of laughter at his own joke.

I look up at Sophie who seems to be thinking the same thing I am. _Ass. _

Beck decides to piss off a few more people before running into us. "Ms. Sumac, Mr. Gordon! What a fantastic surprise. And excellent job on the costumes." He points at Sophie, his eyes dropping to her chest. "I bet you're the only Irene Adler in the place."

Sophie held a poker face through her annoyance until Beck looked back over at his guests. "Look at them. Not one of them worth the cost of their costume."

The costumes for the most part really did look the same, and I had to say, Sophie did well with dressing us, but even I couldn't tolerate plum rudeness and if I wasn't hoping to get parole for good behavior I probably would have said something already.

Poor little Potter stood in the middle of the room, struggling to get everyone's attention. "Excuse me!" he called shyly, the music pausing to aid him in his request for attention. "It's nearly time for the festivities to start. Mr. Beck asks that all cell be handed to the security staff for the duration of the challenge. Thank you."

No way in hell was I handing over my cell phone. Quickly I slid mine into the waist of my jeans and went back to giving my full attention to Mr. Beck.

Nate also didn't seem too keen on giving up his phone. "Seems a bit much for a party game," he said coolly. It was meant to partially be a jab, but I think Beck was too drunk to notice.

"Cell phones have the Internet, search engines. These simpletons will cheat. They'll use any trick to get the edge, Mr. Gordon," he slurred. "They all hate me, ya know."

"I wonder why…" I mumbled without thinking, earning a hard hit to the ribs from Sophie. "I wonder why the power keeps flickering!" I saved smiling charmingly at Becks.

"The storm sometime interferes with the power," Beck explained coolly. "A set back of owning a private island."

My mouth formed a thin line as Sophie squeezed my shoulder. Rich pricks were my least favorite kind. And you can only bite your tongue for so long before you start tasting blood. Sophie was mentally telling me that tasting blood from my own teeth was better than making everyone else taste it from a quick left to the jaw.

"I need to make a few calls before I hand over my life line," Nate said, politely excusing himself with a quick glance my direction as if to tell me to behave myself.

Mr. Beck jumped. "Oh, and I've got to get into my costume. I'm afraid we're abandoning you Ms. Sumac, Zoila."

Sophie raised her eyebrows, a slight look of humor playing on her lips. "My daughter and I will survive, Mr. Beck, but will you?" She points a finger in his direction and his look seems intrigued. "Some of your guests seem very determined."

"These plodders. I'm surprised if they can even spell their own name," he returns sounding even more like a drunken fool as he chuckles and brings his glass to his lips. After one last look at Sophie's chest he turns around, shouting for Potter.

I take a few steps out of the way as Sophie heads toward the bar. She's stopped by one of the men from the office, the one that was "not threatening" Beck. At first I pause to see if Sophie needs an exit, seeing he doesn't seem to be in a much better mood than before.

With a quick hand he grabs a hold of Sophie's wrist. "Mom?" I say quickly rushing over to her side, just in time to see her yank her hand to freedom.

"Take your hands off me," she snapped as I reached out and wrapped my hands around her arm.

The man glanced at me before raising his hands in surrender. "I'm just passing on some friendly advice. You don't want to be in bed with Beck. Guy like that make a lot of enemies." He shot a glance at his goons behind him before giving Sophie a half smile. "Somebody's bound to get hurt."

Before either of us could make a comment that it was highly unlikely for us to get hurt, a older man, probably late forties-early fifties, appeared. "You might want to take a walk about now, Marco."

Thunder shakes the house and the electricity flashes again, making Sophie pull me closer to her. With my habit of disappearing, I had a feeling it wasn't just to keep me from getting ran over or knocked over by some of the men that were much taller than I was.

When the lights came back on, Sophie seemed to hold a stone face and Marco seemed a lot less sure of himself.

"Yeah, sure. Come on, boys." The trio disappeared into the crowd as a flirty expression appeared in Sophie's eyes.

Grifting 101: If a man wants to be a hero, let him. He's infatuation with you will blind him when you need it to. This is a skill all grifters use, but Sophie is the only one I've ever seen completely master it.

His pupils were dialated and his body language was drawn to her. If there was a girl at the party for everybody, he sure thought his was Sophie.

"Sorry about that," he said, the heroism still in his tone.

Sophie smiled softly at him. "And you are?"

"Ray Hammett, Salem PD."

I nearly rolled my eyes. Of course Sophie would get hit on by a cop. Just our frickin' luck. Still, her game has just begun.

"I'm sorry. I'm not familiar with that character."

He chuckles and smiles at her. "Oh no, ma'am. I'm the real deal. Morris Beck pulls a lot of water with the city fathers in this town, so his events merit a police presence." He shrugs and lowers his head to give Sophie almost a pitiful look. "Second year in a row I pulled the short straw."

"And so you… you, what, you stand in a corner watching like a referee?"

He smiled at her. "Something like that." He glanced at me before locking her gaze again. "Only, I don't have to stand in the corner."

That was my cue. "Mom, may I please go sit and listen to band? I really don't see why I must be here anyway," I pressed, looking up at her with big brown eyes that said, either you're stuck with me all night or you could learn something from Mr. Policeman over here.

"Please behave," she replied shortly sending me on my way. With a quick glance behind me I saw Detective Hammett offer his hand to her which she took. Some part of me wanted to remind her that I did not approve of her looking at any man other than Nate, but technically none of that was my business.

Being a kid was hard. I was stuck playing pick up while everyone else actually had an official job. I was getting a little irritated. Still, I took my chances and headed up the steps.

Sophie was right. This house was _huge. _I rounded the corner on the second floor and kept my head down.

No one was upstairs except for security, but I was pretty good at avoiding them. If I wasn't in a damn sweater that almost squeaked with my movement, I wouldn't have been worried at all. The boys were going on about all the problems we were running into and I was just trying to see what the entire layout of the house was, just in case.

"_Anna,"_ Sophie hissed, obviously walking over her shoulder or into a drink. _"I see you've decided to disappear."_

Okay, so dealing with thieves is quite similar to working with CIA. "Come on, we're on an island and we quite literally have no way off until morning. What's the absolute worst I can do?"

"_I can see you burning the house down or getting us all shot,"_ Nate returned as I ducked into a door.

"_I wouldn't get shot, neither would Parker or Sophie. Nate would get shot and live. Hardison would be the one to die," _Eliot said sounding although it was an interesting idea. _"Come one guys, she's going stir crazy. We all have quick reaction times if we have to fix something."_

Part of me wanted to thank Eliot, the rest of me was too agrevated at everyone's complete lack of faith. No one had gotten shot or even almost died because of me, except for me! And Nate, but that was his own fault too. They should know that nine times out of ten, I can get myself out of the trouble I got myself into. I did it before them.

"_Fine, but Anna, don't do anything stupid." _Nate said as if he had the final word on the matter.

"_If you see trouble come back to the ballroom. I'll try and stay in that general area,"_ Sophie added. Okay, both parents' permission. I was clear.

As I turned down the hallway I looked up at the halls. For some reason I felt like they didn't match or like they were slowly widening and narrowing. Suddenly something his me full force nearly throwing me to the ground. If it wasn't for the pair of arms holding me up right, I would've been on the ground.

"What are you doing?" Nate asked irratiably, helping me get my balance again.

"What are you doing?" I snapped back. "You're supposed to be on the main floor with Sophie. Parker and Hardison have this floor."

Nate did not like my attitude. "Go downstairs, I've got this."

I rolled my eyes and turned on my heels. "Parker, do you notice anything off about the walls?" I asked over the coms. Now I had all their attention.

"_Their dimensions are off. Yeah, I noticed it too,"_ Parker replied sounding almost relieved someone else noticed. _"I was going to look into it-"_

"I'll do it. Nothing better to do," I replied turning down a hallway and ignoring Nate's suggestion to go downstairs.

Just as I began knocking softly on the walls the power went out again. I was with Hardison, that was just getting annoying now. Yet, the theatre side of me decided it did add to the dramatics of the murder mystery game. I also noticed that this power surge lasted a bit longer than last time.

When the lights flickered back on, I heard someone scream. My reflexes kicked in and I ducked behind a desk as Sophie started talking quickly and nervously in her real accent. That made me panic as well.

Now the entire team seemed to be in a frenzy.

"What the hell is going on?" I snapped when a security guard came running past without even seeing me.

Sophie kept going, but I could tell she was panicking. _"Just remember, anyone here could be the killer."_

My heart jumped to my throat. "Who the hell died?"

"_Beck! Beck died," _Nate hissed, obviously losing his patience. _"Sophie could use your help, so move!"_

"Wait, wait, wait!" I grumbled. "How did Beck die?"

"_Nate killed him!" _Hardison blurted out nearly rendering me deaf in my right ear.

Eliot sighed. _"No, Nate didn't kill somebody… you didn't did ya?"_

"_No, of course not." _Even I picked up on the fact that he was oddly calm.

"Okay, seriously, this one you can't even almost blame on me!" I pressed but also cheered a little. For once something wasn't my fault. At least not really, granted I'm sure somehow this could quickly turn around and be pinned on me, but I was clear for now.

As I walked down the steps, Sophie gave me an exhausted smiled and gathered me into her arms. She was nervous, it was radiating off her in ways that only Nate or I would ever notice. We were in big trouble here and it was our job to create a smoke screen while also trying to clear Nate's name and find the blueprints.

Beck's daughter was watching me, no tears in her eyes, no hint of sincere emotion. My next move was to get close to her.

_**Sooo what did you think? Please review!**_


	20. What is Seen

_**What can I say? I've been inspired lately. I have most of the next chapter written, and let's just say Anna gets a taste of being a real teenager by a bit of a broken heart and the rest of the team struggle to understand boundaries when it comes to protecting her. Are you all excited yet? Please review! You know how much I love them! **_

I fingered the end of my braid and walked over to Beck's daughter.

"Are you alright?" I ask in a new British accent, laying a hand on her elbow.

She just stared at me. "Why would Daddy hire you all? And aren't you a bit young for this kind of work?" There was a whininess in her voice that told me she was trying to work herself up into some emotion but it wasn't showing through on her exterior. At least not to trained eyes.

"It's a family business," I replied calmly. Sophie was having difficulty shaking the detective, and the flirtatious bit was no longer working as well as before. When she had stood up to defend Nate, she quickly made it obvious where her loyalties lay and that she had already deceived this man once.

The girl sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Zoila Sumac. And yours?" I offer her my hand but she just completely ignores me.

"Hayley." Without even excusing herself she moved into the crowd leaving me standing there with my hand still extended.

_Bitch. _She had no real concerns about her father and either he seriously ignored her for the last twenty years of her life, she was acting way too calm. Something was up.

"_Okay guys, this is how we're going to play this: Hardison, Parker, I want you to keep searching for the safe. Sophie, you're on crowd control. No one leaves the ballroom until we secure the blueprints. Eliot will-"_

"_Eliot's what, Eliot gonna bust your ass out of jail again?" _I stiffened. Eliot was concerned which meant we all had a reason to be concerned. When reason and logic slipped past Nate or Sophie, Eliot was the one who picked it up.

"_Listen, nothing's changed. We still have a job to do," _Nate said plainly, his worry nonexistent.

"_Screw the job, Nate! This guy is dead. Somebody killed him. Pretty soon folks are gonna start asking questions. There was over a hundred people at that party, including a cop, who, by the way, saw you. Your fingerprints are all over this,"_ Eliot snapped. I could only imagine how concerned the rest of the team was getting. But I knew we had to stay focused.

"Eliot, Nate's right. We have to stay focused on the job. We have to get the blueprints and the murder is second priority," I piped up, surprising even myself. "This is Nate's sacrifice. If he screws up, he screws up."

The murder was still secretly first priority, but if we said it was second, it kept us all a little calmer. We were going to do our job and fix everything along the way.

"_If you didn't kill this guy-"_

"_If?"_ Nate was angry now. Fed up. And I had a feeling that we were all going to have to back off before something bad happened.

"If _you didn't kill this guy then you're the only witness." _There was a pause. _"You better solve this murder, Nate."_

"_Or?" _Nate challenge, even more bitter than before.

"_You're going to take the fall and lose everything that you've worked so hard getting. Say goodbye to Anna and the rest of the team. And I have a feeling Sophie won't risk letting Anna visit you behind bars."_

Eliot's words were enough to silence us all. I hurried up the stairs. The quicker those blueprints were found, the more focus can be put on clearing Nate's name.

The walls were still getting to me. I went to the most narrow part of the hallway and knocked on the wall. They were oddly hollow. Like they were thinner or lack insulation. Or…

I looked at one of the lamps hanging on the wall. It was hinged oddly.

Reaching up, I gave it a firm tug. The wall cracked open, revealing a secluded hallway. "Miss Scarlet, I do believe I found something useful." I laughed a little to myself. "Maybe the butler did it."

Much to my disappointment, no one replied. The walls interfered with the com signal. I was officially alone. I followed narrow passageway Hallways and staircases that led below the party. There was a door.

Slowly turning the knob I smiled. At least I found the safe.

I nearly jumped for joy. I pretty sure I just earned a point there.

Turning around I sprinted back toward the passage way, only to collide with Hayley.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped glaring at me. I frowned at her, but before I could get a word out, she went on. "You're not really some party planner are you?"

"And you're not all that worried about your father. So we both lied," I snapped leveling up to her.

"You're not even British," she said shaking her head, a small smile playing on her lips.

"And you're not as dumb as everyone thinks you are," I retorted.

She shrugged. "You're right," she snapped. "But you're not as smart as you think you are."

A glint of something caught my eye just in time for me to dodge it. Okay, how many people would have thought to be concerned about having a knife fight with an heiress. Somehow I had to get out of this without alerting the party, getting killed, or hurting Miss Money Bags.

The silver blade came at me again, and this time I caught her wrist. She was holding the knife in a terrible manner and with a quick turn of the wrist she dropped it. Still, her well manicured nails slid across my face.

This annoyed me.

I pushed her away, kicking her swiftly in the gut twice and landing another blow to her back with my elbow.

"Bitch, play fair or not at all," I snapped as I grabbed her hand and tied them around her back with the ribbon from my hair after linking it through a beam on the wall.

"Hey! Let me go! I swear-"

"You'll what?" She shut up, looking at me with cold eyes. I had one, but if I didn't hurry, we were all going to be screwed.

I grabbed the knife and dove out of the hallway in search of any member of the team. I nearly ran face first into Eliot. He looked down at me and I very quickly read the expression of _oh no, what now_ flash across his face.

"Um, I just tied up Hayley Beck in a secret passage after nearly getting shanked by her!" I said quickly motioning to the hole in the wall I just appeared from. "But I found the safe!"

Eliot rolled his eyes. "Twiddle Dee needs Twiddle Dumb to crack a safe."

All I could do was shrug as I pointed him down the secret passage way. Eliot was much better at moving bodies than I was as well. "Oh, and the coms don't work in here." Eliot groaned again.

An hour later I was picking a handcuff lock with one of the bobby pins. She was not even almost happy. There was a hint of humor in her attitude but it was not light, in fact it was sinister.

In reality I had a feeling she was planning of killing the cop that handcuffed her to the bench. My hair had mostly fallen out of the braid now and curls were everywhere. Not to mention I had somehow ripped my sweater while crawling around in secret passages.

"Sophie?" I said carefully when I finally was able to unlock the cuffs. Maybe I should spend less time on doors and more on handcuffs.

"Murder Mystery Party it'll be fun. What the bloody hell was I thinking?" She griped rubbing her now free wrist. "I just can't wait to get off this bloody island."

I was about to respond when suddenly she grabbed my wrist and dragged me into the hallway. All I could guess was the room didn't feel safe anymore. But I was wrong. Hayley appeared at the end of the hallway, seeming less tasseled than earlier but still rather bitchy.

Since Sophie had so much steam to let off, I didn't follow after her. Instead I leaned against the wall and waited for the final moments of the game to play out.

A friend of Nate's in law enforcement ended up giving us a ride home while of two favorite murderers were toted off to jail. Sophie was a little less bitter, Hardison was happy to have stable power and internet access, Eliot was glad that he would no longer be asked to adapt, Nate was cleared, and Parker and I were begging for the team to buy the house with the awesome secret passageways.

We were all so exhausted that Nate's apartment just seemed to be the appropriate place to crash. I fell asleep on the floor with Parker, Hardison and Eliot, Nate got the couch, and of course Sophie got the bed, as well as the first shower.

It was safer this was. A bitter and cranky Sophie meant no one was safe.

The next day's top story was the death of CEO Morris Beck. Of course it was on how great of a business man and humanitarian he was, but who believed anything the media has to say anyway? The lawyer had her case built and really wasn't all that hurt that Beck was dead. Not that I can honestly say many people were.

"I don't know what to say…" the attorney said thoughtfully, before smiling at the three of us. "Thank you."

Nate gave her a nod. "You're welcome."

She left with a brief goodbye.

"Well!" I said taking a seat on the bar and crossing my ankles. "Am I cleared of lock-down?" I asked hopefully giving my parents my puppy dog pout.

Sophie looked up at Nate, a small smile playing on her lips.

"She did find the safe and uncuff me from that bench. Not to mention she also figured out the daughter was behind it and found the secretpassages…" Sophie pointed out.

Nate looked me for a long moment. "Please?" I asked, widening my big doe eyes even more.

"Fine. Even though you were playing video games the other day, which I pretty sure you were grounded from, we officially lift your grounding," Nate said grabbing his liquor off the bar and putting it to his lips.

I immediately threw my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "I love you!" I exclaimed before releasing him to attack Sophie next. "I love you too!"

Sophie laughed as I kissed her cheek. Me and my videogames had some catching up to do.

"That girl," Nate said shaking his head and smiling softly. "You're too easy on her."

Sophie looked mock hurt. "I'm too easy on her? You're too hard on her sometimes. She's a kid."

Nate smiled. "Quite the kid."

His smile became contagious. "Quite the kid."

Reaching for another glass, he set one in front of Sophie and filled both his and hers. She didn't look at him, just the liquor. Her tone growing nearly sad, she spoke. "Not necessarily the best way to celebrate a win."

The met eyes. "There's good wins, and there's not so good wins."

"Not having to stand trial for a murder seems like a good one thought.," Sophie returned lightly. She began to finger her glass contemplating drinking it.

"Maybe. It's a good thing they can't nail you for what's in your mind."

The look on his face. The sound of his voice. Sophie's heart ached for him to understand he wasn't a bad person for the things he thought. That Nathan Ford was a man she wished other men could be. He had his flaws but worked to be better. Still, she hated it when his darkness weighed him down from being her white night.

"Well, people think all kinds of things," she tried, tilting her head in concern, but then she decided that showing concern was not the best idea. Flirty was a much better one. "For example, I think I'm very relieved that you're not a killer."

He didn't play along. "Really? Oh, you say that now, huh? I mean, there was a second where each of you thought that maybe I might have done it, you know? Even you. Even Anna."

"And you think what?" she pressed. If he wanted to sit here and mope on his pitty pot then she was not going to stop him anymore. "That somehow that means we don't trust…"

"No, no, no. It's just… ya know…"

She didn't know. She wanted him to help her understand.

He took a deep breath. "It's just kind of hard to miss that."

"Well, it just… It was one moment. It was just one crazy moment. None of us thinks you're a killer." Did they? Certainly, he had the ability to kill someone, but it would have to be for good reason. For the team. For something truly important. But he would not kill someone without… without the team behind him.

He raised the bottle again and poured himself another. "Alright," Sophie snapped. She was done. "It's your bar. Think. It's what you do."

She pulled her purse on her shoulder.

"Yeah, thanks. Yeah, yeah," Nate waved her away.

That hurt. His lack of emotion, his complete inability to open up. That hurt her. That was what was going to keep hurting her. That's what would end up hurting everyone in the long run.

Sophie leaned against the bar and decided that he needed to hear something to make him feel again. To make him think and realize that this isn't their fault, that if he wanted someone to blame he would blame the right person.

"But while you're thinking, think about this: are you climbing into that bottle because of what you think we see when we look at you, or because of what you see in the mirror?"

She looked up at the door to see Anna standing there, her bag of clothing in hand and Teddy being held across her chest. Sophie lowered her voice just to be sure Anna wouldn't hear. "Because Anna sees you as the moon, and if you honestly believed she ever doubted your innocence you're wrong."

Anna moved slowly out of the doorway, confused about how she just left these two people in great moods to come back to this.

"Let's go, sweetheart."

Nate couldn't even look at Anna as she passed, responding to her goodnight with a nod. Sophie was right. Sophie was always right. But how in the world was he ever going to change what he saw. He swallowed the last of the liquor and clenched his fist around the glass. Screw it.

He threw the glass against the far wall and watched it shatter. He was too far gone in that reflection to look back just yet.

Still, as he walked up the steps to his bedroom, part of him wanted to see what Anna saw.

_**Review? Send some love my way! Love always, Marilynn. **_


	21. Outside Look on Heartache

_**College is crazy! I'm going so nuts I uploaded my Psychology notes to FF by accident! Well, hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter! Let me know! **_

Jonah was supposed to have already called, but I was getting used to the less frequent phone calls and text. He wasn't like me. He had a ton of other kids our age around all the time, and I was just some girl who lived on the other side of the country. It hurt but I kept telling myself it would be okay. That every other teenager in the world had experienced a broken heart and I was no exception.

But try explaining that to big brother like Eliot Spencer.

"I'll kill him," he growled as Hardison pulled up his Facebook page. "He's dead."

"Oh, you just wait! Little boy's going to be humiliated and his little butt is going to be all over the internet. No one messes with our Anna," Hardison added already working on something in Photoshop.

I kept my head against the cool bar, my head hurting for a reason I wasn't quite sure of. "Guys, please. Just leave him alone. I don't want to have to deal with this right now."

"You don't have to, that's what we're here for," Eliot clarified as Hardison tried to lay out a plan.

"Come on, please? I really don't feel like being babied anymore and if Nate or Sophie found out it would be even worse," I mumbled rubbing my head. "I'm going to go home and sleep. Tell the rest of the team I wasn't feeling well."

They both watched Anna walk out of the room before exchanging looks. They knew what they had to do.

"Nate, Hardison and I are going out of town for a couple days," Eliot informed the rest of the team, already almost out the door with his bag.

"Hold on a second. Where are you going?" Nate asked, putting his paper down and giving them an odd look. Rarely do these two willingly spend extra time together.

Hardison shifted, the first to break under Nate's gaze. "Ya know. Some male bonding thing."

Just like that, they were busted. Sophie put down her tea and looked them over with squinted eyes. "Why are you lying?"

Hardison looked nervous now that everyone was staring at him, even Eliot, but that was more of a glare. By now the man should know how to keep his mouth shut, especially when there is a grifter around.

Shifting again, he cleared his throat. "Well-"

"The boy from LA broke Anna's heart," Eliot spelled out for them.

Nate stiffened, Sophie relaxed and Parker just looked confused. "Is she still alive?" Parker asked truly concerned.

Sophie looks at her. "Yes, her heart is metaphorically broken-" She could see she was getting nowhere with that direction. "She's emotionally hurt…" Parker just continued to stare. "Imagine someone took some of your money…"

Parker's face lit up with anger. "Let's kill him!"

Eliot and Hardison seemed to agree, even Nate seemed to sit up at the thought. As usual, Sophie was the voice of reason. She shook her head and placed her mug of tea down in front of her. "Come on guys, we've all had broken hearts. It comes with being a teenager."

"And I remember getting my ass kicked by big brothers for doing the breaking. It's a tradition I'm willing to keep going," Eliot clarified moving past Sophie to the door.

She glared at him. "You open that door and I will tell Anna exactly what you're doing. Big brother tradition or not, do you really want to experience her rash right now?"

He hesitated. Anna was not fun when she was angry. None of them were, but Anna had a way of making each and every one of them truly miserable if she set her mind to it. She has done it before and there wasn't a doubt she'd do it again to get her point across. If it wasn't directed at him, Eliot would be impressed by her unique forms of torture.

Still, they all cared about Anna and no one was allowed to hurt her. She was their girl. The fact Sophie was okay with her being upset like that threw everyone for a loop. If anyone seemed willing to protect Anna it would be Sophie.

"Everyone just give her a few days to cool off. I'll talk to her," she added smiling slightly at their protectiveness. She adored her team, but they needed to let the girl experience some of real, normal, teenage life.

Finally, the seemed to calm down. "Fine, but I'm still up for killing him if I have to," Eliot grumbled moving back toward the door to the stairs.

"Hell, I don't even have to go to LA in order to turn his world upside down-" Just one look from Sophie and Hardison was stuttering. "Just-just in case ya know?"

Parker simply shrugged. "I'm going to go count my money."

All Sophie could do was shake her head as she slid into the booth beside Nate. They sat there, extremely close for a long moment. "How many hearts did you break in high school, Mr. Ford?" Sophie teased, letting her hand run over his thigh.

"None actually. Normally it was me getting my heart broken," Nate said cooly, a smile playing on his lips. He looked at her for a long moment. There was that chemistry. So badly he wanted to take her by the hand and pull her against him and kiss her like he had at San Lorenzo. But this was not the time or the place. "How about you, Ms. Devereaux?"

Sophie sent him a teasing smile. "I broke plenty of hearts, but none in high school. It took me a little while to learn to play the game."

"I would have never have guessed that," Nate said giving her a closer look.

"I'm full of surprises," she teased before sliding out of the booth. "I'd love to share but I'm going to head out. Anna said she had a headache, so my responsibility is calling."

I was curled up on the couch with a pounding in my head still annoyingly evident the next day. On top of that my nose was now running and stomach did not agree with anything I put in it. Being sick was absolutely no fun.

Still, being sick meant I had full reign of the TV and Eliot was willing to make me chicken noodle soup and I was able to sleep late, something everyone around here pretty well shuns unless you're sick.

Sophie was in the kitchen stirring a pot of soup and searching making me a mug of tea. "Here you go sweetie," she offered me a bowl and a mug.

I shivered as I took it. I was sweaty and cold, not to mention a little cranky.

"Boys suck," I mumbled as Sophie sat down on the couch and rested my head in her lap. She just shook her head and dabbed my head with a cold rag.

She laughed softly and ran a hand over my forehead and held me for a moment. Just then there was a knock on the door.

Sophie moved to answer the door, leaving me curled up on the couch. I closed my eyes and pulled a pillow over my head in hope the pounding would stop. Of course, it didn't work. Nothing seemed to help.

"Is Anna home?" a familiar voice said from the door.

"I'm sorry, and you are?" Sophie was on high alert, I could hear it in her voice, but her curiosity was also getting the best of her. Damn grifters with their need to nose in people's business.

"Oh- I'm sorry, Mrs. Clive. I'm Jonah."

Suddenly I wanted to dive into my bedroom and hide for the next ten years.

I could almost hear the skepticism in Sophie's voice. "I'm sorry, Jonah, but Anna is sleeping. She's been ill for the last couple days. Can I have her call you?"

"Yeah, that's fine. I'll be in town for about a week. My sister is touring colleges." There was no hiding his disappointment, but then again, he hadn't texted me or called me in over a week. "Have a good day Mrs. Clive."

Sophie muttered a goodbye and moved back toward the couch. "Rather skinny boy, tall, but skinny."

All I could do was shrug. "Can I worry about this after my head stops hurting?"

"Sweetheart, you have a week, and I'm more worried the male on the team are going to kill the boy the moment they realize he's in town, if they don't know already."

They not only knew, the planned it. Jonah's older sister was a senior in high school and with a few nifty tricks on Hardison's part, his family was flown to Boston to be toured around colleges in Massachusetts.

Eliot was following the family and even watched him enter Sophie's apartment building. If Sophie knew, everyone would be killed. If Anna knew, they would have to deal with a whole new kind of hell.

Nate was sitting in his living room looking at the screen. Part of him was even a little worried about explaining to Sophie what he had done, what the team had done without Anna's permission. They weren't supposed to stay out of each other's personal lives unless otherwise given permission.

But this was Anna.

Anna was not going to be screwed with.

"So how are we going to do this?" Hardison asked. "We can't beat up a kid. I mean, not really."

"We could make his trip truly horrible," Nate clarified.

"This boy is a martial artist, a kick boxing champion, in National Honor Society, baseball, basketball, chess team, drama club-" Hardison would have kept going, but Nate cut him off.

"If he wasn't about to break our Anna's heart I'd say good choice. Someone who can intellectually keep up with her." Nate frowned. His girl was smart. If she was in school, there wasn't a doubt in his mind she would be top of her class, schools all over the world looking at her.

If the world was different, if the world didn't have terrible people like Anna's father, that girl could have had the world at her finger tips. Her realism combined with her vision and her ability to learn and excel, she could have been anything she wanted.

Instead she was a thief, living with thieves, and learning how to become the greatest con woman anyone could ever dream up. She was born on the wrong side of the law and that was where she was doomed to stay.

Nate wanted her to be able to be normal. To go to high school, to break hearts and do high school theatre. That may have been the reason he was so angry as Jonah. He was the one part of her that could give her the slightest hope of normalcy and he took it away.

He was a bitter father who wanted to return some of the pain.

"I think the boy could use a big dose of bad luck…"

The next day I was feeling a lot better. My headache had disappeared and I my fever had broke. Sophie smiled as I came out of my bedroom dressed in normal clothing. My hair was straightened and I was wearing a little bit more makeup than usual.

"You look pretty. Where you going?" she asked running her hand through the back of my hair. "Sometimes I forget how long your hair is when it's not curly."

"Jonah asked me to meet him at the diner down the road." I also touched my hair. "I forget too. It was a pain to straighten."

Sophie leaned down and kissed my cheek before squeezing my shoulder. "Be careful. Call if you need anything."

I nodded. "Will do," I replied heading toward the door.

Sure, I was nervous. It was normal to be nervous, at least I assumed it was. This teenage thing was hard. I'd much rather be planning a con, not preparing for a date. Perhaps it was a good thing that we were just going to say our goodbyes and bow out.

Rarely did I carry a purse, but when I need to show class and sophistication, I dressed similarly to Sophie. The day I start carrying backup heels is the day I give up and admit I'm becoming the woman who is currently raising me. There was nothing wrong Sophie, but I wanted to become my own person.

"Anna!" I was pulled out of my thoughts and saw Jonah waving at me from an outside table. Clearing my throat I waved back and headed over.

Part of me almost wished that I had a com in my ear listening to Sophie and Nate bicker, Parker going on about something that no one really cared about and Hardison and Eliot at each other's throats.

"Hi," I said awkwardly taking a seat across from Jonah and shifting under his gaze.

There was something in the way he looked at me, I hated it. It was a look that I really didn't like. The hair on the back of my neck rose.

"What are you doing here?" I said forcing a smile.

"Sister, college stuff. Ya know. We'll be stuck doing the same thing in two years," Jonah said smiling. He was really bothering me, everything, even the way he was looking at me.

"Yeah, can't wait," I replied sarcastically. Truth is I didn't really know what was so bad about touring colleges. I guess it was just another one of those teenage things I will never understand.

The silence grew awkward and I finally just sighed. "Let's just get this over with, it was nice while it lasted."

Jonah looked at me with those blue eyes and tilted his head slightly. It was supposed to be the look of ignorance, but it was actually a look of deception. Grifting made dealing with people harder than I ever expected.

"Don't pretend like you weren't going to say goodbye," I said exasperated. But when I met his eyes, I began to get concerned. "But you were going to save that for the end of the week."

He reached out and touched my wrist. "Anna-"

I pulled my arm away. Manipulation was fine when you're stealing, but it was to be kept out of everyday life. If you fall onto manipulation to when you want something from someone else that you are supposed to care about, you are not the type of person I want to deal with.

"I'm going home, Jonah. Have a nice trip to Boston," I snapped standing up and nearly knocking over my chair.

He grabbed my wrist. "Let's go for a walk," he snarled also standing up. There was no wait for my response, he just drug me toward the park.

Hardison flipped through security cameras as Jonah and Anna walked down the side walk. Something didn't feel right. He knew Anna. He knew if anything got her in trouble it was her sense of invincibility and for once she looked vulnerable. She looked… like a kid.

Still, there was really nothing wrong. Anna could walk away anytime, she was allowing herself to be in this situation which meant she had a way out. But still, something felt off. Then he saw it. Jonah was nearly dragging her by her wrist.

"Hey!"For a moment he had forgotten he was alone in Nate's apartment and there was no one to call for. Hardison glanced away from the computer for only a second, but they were gone. Still, Anna had trackers.

Snatching his phone off the tabled he bolted for the door.

"Jonah, stop. This really isn't funny," I tried finally jerking my wrist away as he pulled me into the alleyway. "Why are you being like this? You're supposed to be my friend."

Jonah looked at me like I was stupid. "You _are_ my friend. I am your friend. I just want to show you how much I like you," he said closing in the space between us. I was cornered in the alley, his body way too close to mine. He was kissing my neck, just kissing it, his hands holding me against the wall, nearly lifting me off the ground for better access.

Yes, I like Jonah, at least part of me wanted to like him, but I was scared. "Jonah stop," I said again, this time giving him a push away. He only pushed my hand down and covered my lips with his. No, this isn't the way this is supposed to happen. This isn't the way this is supposed to feel.

Part of me felt like crying as he kissed me harder, prying my lips open with his tongue. Freeing an arm, I pushed him harder. "Jonah!" I yelped as his fingers moved underneath my shirt at touched the skin of my stomach.

"Hey!" someone shouted.

Suddenly he jumped away spinning his attention to a familiar face sprinting toward us. "What?"

I nearly threw myself at Hardison as he drew closer. My arms around his neck in a hug and my face damp from nervous tears. "I think you should go," Hardison replied darkly. I had never heard him sound so angry.

Jonah stared for a few more seconds before leaving. I held tight onto Hardison as he pulled me into a proper hug and held me there.

"You okay?" he asked as he smoothed my ruffled hair.

I nodded into his neck. "Will you take me home?"

Sophie paced the floor infront of the rest of the team. Well, minus Anna. Anna was back to being slightly ill, and whether it was her actual illness or her emotional turmoil was anybody's guess. "You spied on her?"

Nate had the first rebuttal. "Actually we spied on him."

The look Sophie gave him was silencing enough. If looks could do physical harm, Nate would have just had his tongue cut out. "You bought plane tickets? You flew a family to Boston to _bully_ a sixteen-"

"Jonah's seventeen-" And Parker also just lost her ability to speak.

"_Boy_? Yes, I am happy in the outcome but if you would have minded your own bloody business none of this would have even came about!" Sophie snapped, her cheeks flushed from aggravation.

"Anna was upset and you wouldn't let us fly to LA." Eliot was the next on the death list.

Sophie stared at them incredulously. "So you're blaming me?"

"You let her go out with him," Hardison snapped. "You didn't even see what was happening."

Sophie pressed two fingers to her forehead and let out an irritated sigh. "Go, all of you," she said finally moving toward the hallway to Anna's room. "And if any one of you go anywhere near that boy you, I will deal with you."

_**So, how do you think Sophie will react to what Jonah did? It may be mother-daughter story time. Now, better question: Will the team listen to Sophie even after finding out what all Jonah pulled? You all know I love reviews! **_


	22. Just Something

_**So, this chapter was really hard. Feedback is very much wanted… I almost wanted to scrap this chapter completely. **_

Sophie didn't knock and I was glad I was expecting someone to try and talk to me. I was sitting in my bathroom, cross legged on the floor, the shower running and steaming the mirror. There was nothing I wanted to say. Nothing I could say. There was nothing she could say. The damage was done.

Why was I barricaded in my bathroom and not my bedroom? My bathroom had a lock.

The door handle jiggled. "Anna?"

"I'm about to jump in the shower, need something?" I asked casually.

There was a pause. "No, I was just… checking on you," Sophie said weakly.

"I'm good," I replied as blandly.

And I was, I think. If this was a heartache, it wasn't very painful. It was just a lot to think about. Especially when he's blowing up my phone.

It chimed again, I didn't look at it. I was fine. I would be fine.

Music was supposed to be my medicine. It was not today.

I couldn't get the measures. My fingers wouldn't move in the right tempo, my feet hit the pedals. I had missed more notes in the last hour than I had in over two months. The music wasn't coming like I wanted it to. It wasn't really coming at all.

Finally I slammed my fist down on the keys and the distressed sound screamed out into the room. Maybe I yelled out in frustration, I didn't really know, or maybe my lack of actually making my usual music and the broken sounds sounded truly disturbed but the entire team was trying to not stare at me.

Jonah had gone home and no one but I knew what happened in that alley. My emotions were screaming in directions that made no sense. But this piece of sheet music was not helping me express it.

With the frustration only artist can understand I grabbed the loose, wrinkled papers and threw them down. I didn't want to see it. I didn't want to see the melancholy notes of another human being.

No, I wanted my own story to ring from the keys. My own story. First, I needed a key. E Minor. My fingers hit the keys and the minor tone sang. It was slow at first, barely swaying, yet there was a slight hopeful sound to the sad tune.

Then the hope dies, the minor sounds take over, quick and painful. Staccato. Crescendo. But it still hurts. It hurts. The covered bruises around my wrist ache and I can almost feel his fingers against my stomach and on the button of my jeans. Long sleeves cover bruises, but what covers memories?

Part of me fell back and blamed my father. If he hadn't put me on a plane and flew me all over the world for most of my life, I would have been in a real high school, experiencing real life. Then again I loved my new family.

Part of me blamed Sophie, for not seeing his motives. That was her job, not only as a grifter by as my mother.

In reality, most of my blame was on myself. I should have known myself. I should have seen the signs before they hit and acted accordingly.

My music stopped when someone touched my shoulder.

Sophie looked at me, surprised. Without a word I shook off her touch and headed for the door.

My phone chimed again. I didn't have to check who it was, I didn't want to talk to anyone. There was nothing to talk about. Not with Jonah. Not with Sophie or Nate or Eliot or Hardison. Maybe with Parker. That would be a fun conversation.

Never had I just felt so blindly angry. My body was just wanting to hit something, to hurt someone, _to hurt._ Cars were buzzing by and for some reason, I loved the wind on my face. But I wanted more. I looked around the outside of McRory's. Suddenly I wanted to be at the top.

The fire escape took me directly to the roof. I stood there for a moment before and then stepped onto the edge of the building. There was about six feet between the roof top I was on and the one just south of the bar.

I can make it.

I stepped off the edge and backed off to the opposite side of the building. I've jumped off buildings before. Just not without a harness.

But I can make it.

The building was six feet forward and ten feet down. The ground was six stories down. That would hurt.

I've jumped further.

And I was going to jump then.

I exhaled and took off. My feet beat against the concrete of the roof. Twenty feet from the edge. Ten. Five. And…

The air hit my face and my heart was in pounding so hard I could feel it in every part of my body. My body was flying through the air and for a split second, I didn't think I was going to make it.

Then my feet hit the concrete and I stumbled forward. At first I thought I could catch myself, but eventually I fell to my knees and braced myself with my palms. The pain in my body mixed with the adrenalin melted away my emotional barrier and for the first time in days I felt something. Something real.

Blinking absently at the dark roof, staring down at my scraped up palms and knees, I laughed. There was really no reason to why I laughed, but I couldn't stop laughing. Tears were streaming from my eyes and dripping onto the pavement as I laughed hysterically. I had just jumped off a building with no harness, with no safety net, completely vulnerable to death. Had I completely lost my mind? I wasn't sure.

But that didn't matter to me. I wanted to do it again.

The thing was, I wasn't heartbroken. I wasn't upset about Jonah walking away. I was just confused. My wrists were still bruised, but covered so no one else knew. I wore a belt now, with every outfit. Little things. Little pieces.

Like the chips out of my heart from being glued back together time and time again.

I stood up and looked ahead. There was the next building that was a story higher, but was attached. I could just climb.

The entire time it was like my body was on autopilot. My brain running a completely different direction, barely aware of my actions. I grabbed at wires and bars, pulling myself up to the top of the building with agility and grace that I was surprised at. Finally, I looked across at the next building…The building was seven feet away, four feet down.

I can do it.

"Anna!"

The jump was steeper. But shorter. I backed up and aligned myself.

"Anna!"

I can make it.

Inhaling, I took off, feet pounding against the roof top. Each step getting closer and closer to the end. Suddenly I was going too fast, my feet slipping on the damp concrete, my grace slowly fading.

But I was too close to the edge to stop.

I had to jump.

"_Anna!_"

My arm snagged on and sent me crashing against the ground along with something else. Boney and heavy.

For a moment I just laid there. Body pounding with a strong heart beat that I almost did not recognize. My heart didn't beat like that. At least not often. It was one of those times where you could feel it in your finger tips and your toes.

"What the hell are you doing?" Parker snapped already back on her feet, her blonde hair everywhere.

I couldn't even look at her. I was staring straight at the sky. It was so pretty. So blue with big fluffy white clouds and the red and purple of the sunset just starting to taint the sky.

Taint.

Tainted.

That's how I felt. Tainted. From my father, from my childhood, from watching children getting beat and executed for trying to smuggle artifacts out of the country, from breaking laws, learning to lie, acting like someone I'm not.

That's why this happens to me. That's why I'm not allowed to just be happy.

I sat up and stared at the bleeding sky.

"Anna! Look at me!" Parker exclaimed as I inched my way closer to the edge.

Finally, I turned around.

She was staring at me, a look of disbelief written on her face. "What the hell is wrong with you? You do not jump off a building without a harness. Ever. Do you understand me?"

I didn't speak, just nodded.

She continued to stare at me. "What were you thinking?"

My eyes met hers and for the first time, there was something other than the usual Parker. "I wanted to feel something."

She studied me for a long moment before nodding. "Next time, tell me."

I nodded before be tossed a harness. Parker knew what it was like to want to feel. Because there was nothing in the world worse than feeling empty. It was like you didn't deserve to feel anymore.

_**So?What do you think?**_


	23. Laughter

_**Another chapter for my beloved readers! This is the 15 Minute Job. Hope you guys like it!**_

Sophie was laying across Nate's couch with a book in her hands, Hardison was playing some game on his computer, Parker over his shoulder, wide eyed and interested, Eliot was in the kitchen making us lunch, something with peppers, I could smell it. I was laying on the floor, feeling a little like death after a four mile jog.

"How can I love something that makes me want to die?" I panted, my lungs stinging from the cool air and quick intake.

"Whatever works," Sophie mumbled, barely taking her attention off the book. "Just as long as it doesn't kill you."

Groaning, I rolled over on my stomach and shivered. Nate walked through the door and for the first time didn't even grumble when he found us all already making ourselves at home. Even with Sophie and me, he hated to open the door and find us here when he wasn't. Not that he had much to hide anymore since Hardison had all his passwords to everything, plus Parker found his hiding places. What? We're thieves.

"So," Nate said clapping his hands together and earning the attention of the team. Sophie closed her book and sat up, Hardison removed his headphones, Eliot came around the bar, and I propped myself up against the couch. Parker just rolled over the side of the couch and smiled as Sophie glared at her for kicking her book onto the floor.

Looking at all of us, he gave waved his hand. "Just need Sophie, the rest of you..."

As though nothing happened, everyone went back to their business. I collapsed back onto the floor and reached for Sophie's glass of water.

He stepped over me and looked at Sophie. "I have a favor."

Sophie rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "This should be good."

"I have a client, well, a potential client, actually, he's my old friend. I-"

Sophie stood up and nudged me with her foot. "Say no more. Anna, go get cleaned up, you're coming too."

I pouted at her. "Why?"

Sophie raised an eyebrow, but didn't grace me with an answer. Grabbing my bag, I headed upstairs to take a shower before I was stuck going to a meeting with the parents. So I may have been done with the general groundings, but I was still playing wingman on jobs. Trust me, it was annoying.

As the three of us sat at the table, Sophie gave me a distressed look. "I thought I told you something nice."

I looked down at my skinny jeans and tan shirt with my charcoal jacket. "This was the nicest thing I had at Nate's. It's not like you told me when we left the apartment." At least my Toms looked good with my outfit. "Nate's wearing jeans too."

Sophie sighed. "Don't remind me."

Suddenly Nate stood up and welcomed a well dressed man with a hand shake and that awkward half hug that men do. "How are ya doing, Nate?" the man asked pulling back and smiling. "And who are these lovely ladies?"

"Fine, fine," Nate said coyly before motioning to his left. "This is my friend and coworker, Sophie," the man reached across the table and shook he said as she smiled politely.

"It's nice meeting you," Sophie said sweetly, her accent visibly shocking hit, but he only smiled wider.

"You as well, ma'am," he returned.

"And this is," Nate gave me an uncertain look that confused me, "my- er her- er… _our_ Anna."

I wanted to roll my eyes at Nate's terrible introduction, somehow I resisted. Probably because Sophie would have hit me. "Hello," I beamed shaking the man's hand.

"Hello, you have quite the politician's smile. Considering you're around Nate, I can't say I'm too surprised. How old are you, sixteen?" I nodded, pleased that someone finally guessed correctly. "My daughter is that age, have you gotten your license yet?"

I glanced over my shoulder at Sophie and Nate who seemed completely dreading the idea of my having a license right now. So I just shrugged. "Sometimes I just keep getting reminded that we have to take things one day at a time."

"Sophie, Anna this is my old friend Ed Kelly. We grew up together," Nate pushed in quickly, motioning for us all to sit.

I smirked at him, ready to make one of my classic comments, when he sent me a warning glance. "Yes, Anna, I was a kid once," he shot at me.

Sophie laid a hand on my back and half smiled to herself, reminding me to behave myself, no matter how tempting it was to be my usual, ornery self. Relaxing, I leaned back into my chair and hoped the waiter came by soon enough to get our order, I was hungry.

Mr. Kelly smiled at me. "You're a bit of a spit fire aren't ya?"

Nate rolled his eyes. "You don't even know, the thing is she's a talented and a bit too smart for her own good too."

Still, the man just smiled. "Sounds like us when we were kids. Parents were criminals, it's a simple watch, learn, and do it better concept of life."

There was something very likeable about this man, and normally politicians were not on my list of favorite types of people. Person corruption was one thing, political corruption was another. This guy didn't seem all that bad though. Actually, he seemed rather likeable. But I had been wrong before.

"Nate doesn't like me thinking that way," I told him as the waiter laid the menus down in front of us and took our drink orders. Sophie didn't even hide her glare when Nate order a scotch, but Mr. Kelly just looked as though he was guilty.

Finally, Mr. Kelly seemed to get curious enough to ask the question that had been weighing on his mind. "So, I take it Anna is yours?" he asked Sophie who continually sipped on her tea.

All three of us exchanged looks. "In the ways that matter, yes," she said carefully.

When we were in public, we let people assume what they wanted but we also were careful about how much information was actually given. If people knew too much it could turn around and bite us in so many ways. Whether it be my father's men or just other criminals that had it out for a member of our team, there was a lot to consider. Not to mention, my face wasn't known like the rest of the team, I had the advantage of being a ghost.

Mr. Kelly understood that one question was enough and looked at Nate. "Why don't we enjoy lunch before we get down to business? It's been a long time and we both have changed a lot since high school."

Nate nodded and Sophie seemed to study the table. Nate was a bit more relaxed than usual, but he still was obviously a little worried about his old friend.

As we finished lunch, everyone was laughing. I kept watching Nate. It had been so long since he had laughed like that, and he laughed so rarely that sometimes I forgot what it sounded like. Sophie even seemed to giggle slightly at him, also please to see this side of a man than we all cared so much about.

"I remember they asked us for our ticket stubs…" Mr. Kelly said smiling at the memory.

"Which, by the way, we didn't have because we hopped the turnstiles," Nate told Sophie, his eyes lighting up as he looked at her. It made me smile even wider to see him like that, especially with Sophie. I know, I know, but a girl can dream right? She kept smiling at him, her eyes glittering. Nate lowered his voice. "Then, they asked to speak to our fathers."

Sophie rolled her head back and laughed while I watched them all with extreme interest. Is this the way normal adults interact? Maybe they need to get out more often.

"And Nate says, I'll never forget this, he says, 'Who do you think taught us to hop the stiles in the first place?'" Mr. Kelly laughed and it was so contagious I found myself giggling as Sophie put her hand on my arm and laughed as well.

In a way this whole thing made me almost sad. I forgot how beautiful Sophie was when she truly laughed and how Nate's eyes lit up. Our little family needed to spend more time enjoying life than they were.

"Surely Nate and Sophie haven't taught you anything too bad, have they?" Mr. Kelly asked sending me a wink.

I smiled at him. "Oh, you know, just things they'll one day regret," I replied raising my hand and revealing Nate's watch.

Nate groaned and Sophie laughed. "You can tell who taught her that, and trust me, it's not just us she's learning these things from," Nate replied holding his hand out for the watch.

Mr. Kelly's smile slowly faded. "I've never tried to hide how bad things got for me when I was a kid. But I put the drugs behind me, walked a straight line ever since. Swear on my mother."

Nate nodded. "Okay." Mr. Kelly watched as Nate raised his scotch to his lips and finished another glass. It didn't take a grifter to see the mixture of concern and disapproval I saw in his eyes.

"So…" Nate flipped over a scandalous picture of Mr. Kelly and some blond woman. Kelly's eyes seemed to be blood shot and there was a drink in his hand. "This guy, Reed Rockwell…"

"Professional career assassin," Kelly said sounding nearly exhausted.

"He represents your opponent in the next election. He sends you these photographs along with a note. Then the next day, an aide finds a bottle of Vicodin in your office," Nate played out for everyone over the com.

Kelly looked Nate in the eye. "It wasn't mine."

Nate nodded. "Okay." Even I couldn't tell if he quite believe him or not, but that's usually how Nate got more information out of people. He didn't question them, he just didn't give them confidence that he completely believed him. That way they'd fill in the blanks for him.

"I broke an ankle playing ball with my kids a few years back," Kelly said looking from Sophie to Nate, nearly begging them to understand. "I wouldn't even take the pain medication the doctor prescribed."

Sophie crossed her arms over the table. "But now all this character Rockwell has to do is file a lawsuit against you. Anything, a fender-bender…"

"And then the aide has to come forward about the Vicodin, and these photographs, real or fake, come out in discovery," Nate added.

"Legal blackmail. It's elegant," Sophie shrugged. I knew she was thinking the same thing I was, almost envious we didn't think of it first.

"It's, uh, it's wrong is what it is." Nate glanced up to flag down the waiter. He motioned to his glass. "Can I have another…?"

All of us looked at him while the waiter placed another glass in front of him and he mumbled a thanks. Mr. Kelly smacked his lips and frowned. "Sometimes I don't know who's done more for the people around here, Nate… You or me…"

"Well…" Nate just tossed back the drink and shrugged.

Finally, Kelly seemed to have enough and leaned forward. "I need you now. I don't know what to do."

Nate held his drink and looked at his friend. "Go home, Ed. I got this. I'm going to get my team to bury this guy Rockwell. You got my word."

Sophie offers Mr. Kelly a smile and a brief nod. All of us watched as he stood up and left. Almost as soon as the door closed I took out my com and headed after him, ignoring Sophie asking me where I was going.

"Mr. Kelly!" I called as he approached his black BMW. He stopped with his door open and looked over that door at me.

"Anna, I'm really appreciate you all helping. Nate's a good man." He may have said it, but he didn't sound completely convinced. He seemed to second guess himself.

I looked at him, then at the concrete in front of me. "I want to thank you," I said softly. Again, I met his eyes and smiled. "You have no idea how great it was to see them like that. I don't see them actually laugh like that very often."

Mr. Kelly smiled at me. "Nate's a great guy, really. He just has a lot of darkness in his past, which I'm sure you can understand." There was a short pause. "I owe him a lot. A laugh now and then is the least I can do."

Reaching out, I offered him my hand. "You're a good man as well, sir, and please stop by again. I'd love to hear more stories about my old man." I smiled at him. "Just so I know he's being fair when he says I'm out of line."

Mr. Kelly laughed. "You're a good kid. Tell your mother to keep an eye on Nate, even though it seems likes she does a fair job already."

"Have a good day, sir," I replied stepping back onto the sidewalk and nodding a farewell.

Grabbing my com out of my jacket pocket I replaced it in my ear as Nate and Sophie came out of the building. Sophie slid her arm around my shoulders as we walked toward the car and Nate smiled at the two of us. "Anna, I have a feeling you would be able to help us with this one. You're pretty good at leading people out of the shadows."

I gave him a spectacle look. "That doesn't sound good."

Sophie made some sort of sound that told me that she agreed with me. She raised her eyebrow at Nate. The exchanged a look before Nate exhaled.

"I can resist the spotlight, Soph."

"Of course you can. Never see you taking any kind of victory lap after you've pushed us all to the edge, or sticking around to gloat over the bad guy being dragged away," she spat squeezing my shoulder and handing me a couple of bills.

"Is that sarcasm?" Nate asked as Sophie stopped briefly.

"A mild amount," she mumbled before pointing to a hot chocolate stand set up on the sidewalk. "Anna, will you please go get us three hot chocolates while I speak with Nate?"

Anna nodded, her brow furrowed like it always did when she wasn't sure if she wanted to ask or if ignorance was better. Taking the money she headed across the street while Sophie spun on her heels and glared at Nate.

"You want to use Anna to lure him out of the shadows? Because that sounds like a brilliant plan Nate. It's right up there with the Maltese Falcon and the drunken mountain," Sophie snapped resting her hand on her hip and glaring.

Nate sighed and scratched his head. "Okay, so what do you suggest?"

Sophie smiled at him with one of her humorless grins. "You're the mastermind."

Nate groaned as she walked ahead, not even trying to fathom up the punishment Sophie had planned for him. Sometimes he wondered how much control he really had over this team and if Sophie just let him play mastermind every now and then.

After all other attempts failed (like Eliot robbing Parker, Sophie's stroller rolling away, Hardison "accidently" choking on a hot dog), Nate decided that we'd have to try another approach. Making a guy look like a hero when he wasn't really a hero at all seemed like a better option.

I was with Eliot while Sophie, Parker, and Nate watched from the security cameras. Reed Rockwell always got his morning coffee form a place called "Little Green Grocer". if we wanted to catch him doing anything, it would have to be there.

Eliot walked in first and I soon followed.

"Who the hell shops here?" he grumbled glancing at a basket of bananas. "It's three dollars a banana."

I shrugged and head toward the back of the store to seem like I was browsing. Eliot was right. This stuff was insanely priced. I walked over and look at a two dollar granola bar before rolling my eyes and backing away.

"_Nate, can I just reiterate that I have almost no frame of reference for what I'm being asked to do here?"_ Hardison asked over the coms. It didn't take a grifter to tell he was panicking.

"_Okay, both feeds are up," _Nate said slightly off topic before adding, _"Hardison you're gonna be fine. And… here he comes… right on schedule."_

The bell on the door chimed as a thickly build, well dressed man entered and went directly for the counter while picking up one of the ridiculously priced bananas. I moved closer to the door to ensure I was able to delay him if I had to.

Eliot stayed close to a shelf of spices, watching the mark closely out of the corner of his eye. _"Twenty seconds, Hardison,"_ he muttered.

"_Okay, Hardison, you're up,"_ Nate pressed a little more.

The door chimed again and in rushed Hardison in a ski mask and hoodie. Oh, and a gun.

"All right, everybody chill out. Just relax," he commanded cocking the gun and immediately pointing it at Rockwell and the woman at the counter. He nearly ran into me as he aimed the gun around the room and continued to gain attention. "Everybody calm down. Hey, hey! Shut up. Chill. Relax. Sir, go back to eating your scone."

I moved in behind him. Just close enough to the door I could delay anyone's emergency exit.

"Everybody just cool out. Everybody just calm down. Be cool." The chatter in the room silenced as everyone stared at the man with the gun. It was almost funny to watch Hardison be the bad guy, he sure the hell was not the type of criminal that should ever hold a gun. "You can go home with a story to tell your grandkids."

He pointed the gun at Rockwell. "Sir, please get back. Back up. I'm not playing." The man slowly backed away with his coffee in hand and Hardison leveled up to the lady at the counter. "Now, look here. It's gonna go like this. Al'ight? Money in the bag, you know how it goes. Or I'm gonna start cappin' fools. I'm not playing."

I could hear every member of the team sigh at the absolute ridiculousness of Hardison's character. Thank God they were all to freaked out to realize how off the wall he sounded.

Eliot backed away and started heading down the aisle. _"Nate, I told you, you should have let me do this."_

Hardison kept the gun at the poor cashier. "Come one, now. Faster. You taking your time?"

Rockwell made a move and weaved behind Hardison without being noticed. I wanted to hit Hardison. He needed to learn to keep his eyes open.

"You're gonna get us killed!" I shrieked as I half stepped in front of him.

Catching my message, Hardison spun around and pointed the gun in Rockwell's face. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What's up, cat?"

"_Hardison, you've gotta get him away from the door," _Nate commanded.

Hardison circled around him to where he was between the mark and the door. "Where you going?"

Obviously not enjoying any form of spot light attention, Rockwell's eyes were on the ground as he tossed his head towards the exit. "Just let me get out of here with my coffee, man."

"I'm sorry, I though I'm the one that had the gun up in here. Get your ass over here," Hardison snapped pushing the guy back toward the counter.

"_Moving into position,"_ Eliot added as Hardison decided to pick a fight.

"I should shoot you for your bad taste." Hardison knocked the man's hat onto the floor. "Come on." Slowly I moved in behind him. "Looks like I got me a little hostage for when the popo come. How you want it man," he tilted his gun to the side, "East Coast, West Coast?"

Sophie sighed over the com. _"Hardison, don't hurt him."_

"You don't… you don't want me," Rockwell said carefully.

"I want you," Hardison replied seeming obviously confused.

Rockwell quickly shook his head. "No, you don't want me. When the cops come, they see you got a male hostage, no one's gonna care. Who's gonna watch that on the evening news, man?" He looked over Hardison's shoulder and threw his arm out at me. "You want her!"

My jaw dropped. "Me?" I snapped. Okay, not only chivalry dead, but this guy kicked it in the face to top it off.

I blinked at him. "I'm telling you, she'd make a much better hostage than me. They'd be falling all over themselves giving you whatever you want." He motioned toward me again. "You want her as a hostage."

"_Okay, Hardison, hurt him as much as you like," _Sophie grumbled as I glared at the bastard.

"Hell, I think you should shoot him, problem solved," I muttered over my shoulder.

Hardison spun around and pointed the gun at me. I gaped at him and all he could do was shrug in response. Oh hell no.

"You have to be kidding me," I said aloud glaring at both the men and shifting my hands to my hips.

"_Eliot, now."_

Just then Rockwell stumbled forward and landed on top of Hardison, the room braking into gasps and panicked yelps. Scrambling off the floor, Hardison broke for the door and around the corner.

"_Okay, we got him. Hardison, when you finish your job I want you to scrub the footage,"_ Nate ordered as Rockwell hurried to his feet and dusted himself off. _"I want to be able to see his face, clear as a bell. Anna, you stay with him. Stay in his pocket. We need to get him to stick around, sign some autographs…"_

Just as I moved closer to him, he plowed past me and out the door. For a moment I was going to take off after him, but decided against it.

"Can't do that. He's out," I replied glancing over at Eliot who seemed to be trying to process the reaction.

"_This guy is not a hero,"_ Parker said soberly.

Nate sighed. _"No. He's the only thing better than a hero. He's a mystery."_

Mystery or not, he's a class act ass. Any prick who offers up any woman as a hostage needs a reality check with a baseball bat. Part of me was angry we were building him up at all. People like him deserved to fall, but I was hoping something quicker. Shoot first, ask questions later.

So, maybe I was holding a grudge now, but I had a reason to hold a grudge. The jerk just offered me up to an armed criminal as hostage. I didn't care if it was only Hardison.

"I say we just dump him on some deserted island and be done with it," I growled as we all sat in front of the screens watching the security footage from earlier in the day.

"You know we can't do that," Nate reminded me as I glared at the fake hero.

"It's tempting though," Eliot added with a shrug. "The guy is pretty heartless."

"Either way, we're done for today. Let's just be happy about that," Sophie tossed in grabbing her coat off of Nate's stairs. "Anyone else want to go to eat?"

The entire team jumped up. A job well done, thus far. Still, Reed Rockwell was a man who lived in the shadows, much like we did. Part of me worried that while we drug him to the spot light, we may get captured in it too.

_**Feedback? Reviews? Love? Haha. I love you all! **_


	24. In Charge

_**Okay, I'm going to skip the Van Gogh Job for now. I'm not quite sure how to approach it since it's primarily flashbacks. Anywho! Enjoy!**_

Rolling over for the hundredth time, I was beginning to just realize I wasn't going to get much sleep tonight. Finally, I gave up and decided to get something to drink.

Usually the smell of vanilla and jasmine wasn't noticeable anymore since I had been calling this place home for the past few months, but it was quite noticeable that night. It was relaxing as well as welcoming as I opened the refrigerator.

"Can't sleep?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin as Sophie appeared in her nightgown and robe standing in hallway with her shoulder against the wall. She looked tired, yet stunning as always.

All I could do was nod as I attempted to recover from the shock.

"Me either." She sighed and moved across the room to rest her elbows against the bar.

I don't know where it came from, but I just found myself looking at her closely. There was a slight distance in her eyes. It was an odd sort of haunting. Moving closer to her, I tilted my head. "What's wrong?"

Sophie looked at me surprised, before smiling slowly. "You know, it's odd hearing someone ask me that."

I cocked my head again, confused. Again her expression morphed into a more irritated look. "Now I know how Nate feels when I read him," she mumbled shaking her head slightly. "Don't worry about it, Anna. That's my job."

Something about that phrase made me a little more irritated than I knew Sophie meant to make me. Plus, she saw it.

"Anna," she sighed looking over at me.

"No, Sophie. You press me to open up and you press Nate to open up, but you aren't even willing to open up yourself," I complained. Grabbing my drink, I headed back to my bedroom.

Just as I was about to slam the door, Sophie caught it and sent me a level look. There was a moment of silent conversation where she was telling me to calm down and I was telling her to screw off, needless to say, the better grifter won.

"At least admit I made a point," I growled letting go of the door and throwing myself down on my unmade bed.

Sophie sat down on my bed and rubbed her hand on my back. "Point or no point, you've been shut off lately as well." There was no point in denying it, I knew what she was talking about. "Are you ever going to tell me what happened?"

Fighting her tooth and nail took energy I didn't have, plus I kind of wanted it off my chest. "Can we at least go to your room? I like your bed better."

Sophie smiled. "I like my bed better too. Let's put getting you a new mattress on the to-do list." She took me under her arm and kissed my head as we crossed the hallway to her bedroom.

There was something about Sophie's bedroom that just showed the type of woman she was. The royal red comforter with the tan satin sheets made her bedroom match her classy personality. Not to mention her jewelry chest and large chest of drawers and walk in closet. Granted the hall closet was also dedicated to her clothing, but Sophie was a woman who truly loved her clothing.

This was one of those moments when I knew where I belonged. Sophie sat cross legged on the sheets and patted the area in front of her. I obeyed, sitting with my back to her. Gently, she removed my hair tie and ran her fingers through my curls.

"I love your hair," she said as she carefully tugged out a knot.

"My brother always told me it made me look like a gypsy," I spat, knowing what my family thought about gypsies. They were not a popular culture. Even my mother didn't care for them and described them as the scum of the earth.

Sophie laughed softly as she continued to smooth out the mess of curls. "They remind me of my mother's actually. I always envied how curly her hair was."

It was silent for a few moments and she eventually stopped playing with my hair. I turned around and looked at her. She studied my face for a moment. "So, Jonah…"

There was no need to hide my reaction, but I still attempted to. My eyes shot away from hers and I bit my lower lip. "What am I suppose to say?" I mumbled shrugging slightly. "He's a jerk."

Sophie frowned, but didn't push me to continue. Like a good grifter, she waited for me to fill the silence.

"I just wanted him to say it was done, to walk away. But he didn't want to, he said he wanted to show me how much he liked me, so he pulled me down to the alley between the seafood restaurant and Arnzen's bookstore. He's a lot bigger than me, Sophie," I looked up at her and bit my lip. Her big brown eyes said she felt me pain.

"He just didn't listen," I whispered wanting to cry. "I couldn't get away." Sophie nodded, just listening. I had her full attention and I wanted to disappear. "He did more than just kiss me, Mom."

Sophie pulled me into a hug and squeezed me tight. "If you would have just told me, if you would have said anything, we would have taken care of it," Sophie cooed before pulling me away and looking her in the eye. "We will take care of you."

"But I don't want to have to be taken care of," I cried throwing my hands down and pulling away from her. "I want to be like you all. No one took care of you."

Sophie stood up and tried to level with me. Her eyes challenging me. "Someone took care of us. Each and every one of us. You just have all of us." Throwing her hands in the air, she growled. Pacing for a moment she ran a hand threw her hair. "Please, _please_ try to understand me."

She turned and stared at me, the bed between us. "You are what we wish we were. You are a tiny bit of each of us that we want to pass on in the future."

She exhaled again and pressed her hands to her head. "Anna, we love you as family, but also as our protégé. You are the next generation." Sighing in exhaustion, she sat back down on her bed. "You just… Anna… you just wear me out."

I smiled a little. "That's what I'm supposed to do, Mother."

At that moment I crawled into Sophie's bed and made myself comfortable. She watched me for a moment before also smiling and crawling into her bed as well. I moved closer to her and laid my head on her shoulder and she wrapped her arm around me.

"Don't think I forgot about you brushing me off earlier," I added as I yawned and closed my eyes and buried myself deeper into her shoulder.

"Sweetheart, go to sleep."

Hardison was raking up the YouTube hits with the hero footage and my interview on the evening news was also a nice kick. Perhaps the most interesting part was Parker's successful grift. She was also very pleased with it.

"_I think I'm getting better at this," _Parker announced over the com.

I sat cross legged on the floor as Hardison began typing. "I'm cloning Rockwell's cell right now. Good work, girl."

"Really, Parker, you did very well," I complimented as I braided my hair to the side and added a navy bow to the end to match my white and navy blouse.

"_I didn't even stab him!"_ she cheered as we watched her walk away with Rockwell's cell number with absolutely no major bumps.

Hardison and I exchanged nervous looks. "Yeah. We… We are so proud of you," Hardison stammered. "Uhh… No-stabbing Wednesdays, new tradition."

He glanced over at me and shook his. "Wait a second… Has she really stabbed someone?" I asked and even I couldn't tell if I was more concerned than just honestly curious.

"Yes, it was… a couple years ago… Ya know, let's just not talk about it."

Oh, but I was going to ask Sophie. She'd tell me. Currently though, we all were listening to Nate hook the mark. Sophie was sitting at the table with her tea and listening to Nate with a _very _skeptical facial expression.

"_Henry K. Gillis. How do you do?"_ There was a brief pause. _"All right… Nothing to worry about. A little rough around the edges, we can work with that."_

Rockwell didn't seem sold, then again, we knew he wasn't going to be an easy sell. _"You're a media consultant."_

"_Same line of work as you are, except I build people up. Nobody better at it than me."_ Sophie gripped her mug tighter and Hardison bumped his fist against his mouth nervously. They knew Nate was playing in dangerous territory and all we could do was sit back and watch.

"_Then why have I never heard of you?"_ Rockwell challenged. I could hear the sneer in his voice and I shivered involuntarily.

"_Well, the same reason I'd never heard of you until I turned on my TV last night. Careful design. Laws, sausages and celebrities, kid. A lot easier to control the spotlight when you're not standing in it."_ Nate was selling his bit as well as Sophie would, but I usually trusted Sophie a lot more when she was in the power role. There was no doubt that Nate was a great mastermind, but Sophie knew the limits and he had a tendency of pushing them.

As Nate continued, I leaned toward Sophie. "I'd feel better if you were playing this role."

"So would I, but once Nate get's his head made up, there's no point in arguing," Sophie sighed as Hardison nodded in agreement.

I stared ahead listening to him go on. Don't get me wrong, I love Nate. He's brilliant and unafraid to push to get results, but something about him made me worry he was a step away from super villain. Then again, I guess we were kind of the bad guys, sort of. Well, I guess we were also the heroes too. It just depends how you look at us.

"_Now, the media, they're gonna hound you day and night. You know that, we both know that, until you give them something, or they'll make something up on their own. Now, listen. I know you, Rockwell. You can't be satisfied just standing just outside the spotlight forever. Nobody ever is. These people that you take down, they don't deserve their wealth, their fame. You do. You're better than they are. Don't abandon this opportunity, this opportunity to step out of the shadows and onto the stage."_

Sophie shook her head as her lips formed a tight line while Hardison looked at her shocked. "Trying to convince a man to step onto the third rail."

She shifted her gaze toward us. "Without getting too close to it himself…" The tone said dangerous, but her face said daring. For the first time, I saw the way Sophie saw Nate. Not only was he her equal on many levels, but she respected his near insanity as much as she disapproved and feared it for herself and the rest of the team.

Of course, Nate had successfully reeled Rockwell in and was setting him up to be stuffed and mounted on the wall like every other crook. Meanwhile, the rest of us were running around to set everything up.

"Who goes to motivational speeches anyway? Do normal people really not have anything better to do with their time?" I grumbled as I printed out the final pages of the speech Hardison pushed off on me while Nate and Sophie continued to ignore me and argue with each other while Hardison made up a back ground for Nate's alias.

"I mean, he took the bait. I mean, it's the only way to fix Ed Kelley's whole-"

Sophie stared at him irritably. "Wait, you're not doing this for Ed Kelley. You're pushing this hard 'cause of Rockwell."

Nate didn't look at her, instead he focused on Hardison's work. "You know, you want to do a confidential client list. Phone records and financials…"

Hardison rubbed his eyes and glanced over at me. "Nate. I got it."

Sophie wasn't done. "He works from the shadows deciding who to take down, convinced he's making the world a better place, implying a certain moral superiority over his victims." The very deadly side of Sophie was coming out as she paused and leveled her gaze. "Any of this sound like someone we know, Anna?"

I glanced back at her, eyes wide. "Please don't drag me into this. I'm playing Switzerland."

Nate continued to pretend to not hear her, keeping his attention directed at Hardison. "That's good! But, no, you got all that right, but I think you want to be careful you don't make me a little bit too…"

Hardison exhaled. "Nate, look, if there's nothing embarrassing for him to find on you, it makes you look like you're not for real."

"I know, but here's the thing, you're saying that I helped the dicator of Mogutu rise to power. He committed genocide, Hardison."

Barely glancing over his shoulder, Hardison looked extremely irritated. "Problem?"

Nate blinked. "Apparently not."

Sophie wasn't done. Then again, she was never really finish lecturing Nate. "Don't get so focused on him you forget the bigger game." She shook her head. "We all know that fame's a monster, and here you are poking at it with a stick."

As usual, Nate continued to ignore her. Sophie finally just looked at me and groaned. "Some days I just want to kill him."

And I'm pretty sure Nate hid notes around his apartment telling whoever found them that if he ever mysteriously ended up dead, Sophie Devereaux was to blame. If I was him, that's what I would do.

Four hours later, I was sitting on the couch as Hardison got himself something out of the fridge which left me eating left over Chinese and listening to coms.

"_Well, the guy we're clearing out was a fireman for forty-three years and just donated a kidney to his best friend,"_ Sophie informed us, making me feel almost a little guilty.

Hardison on the other hand just laughed. "We're not gonna hurt him."

"_I'm just saying, it's lucky we don't believe in hell."_

Still, he just shrugged. "Nate believes in hell. Shoot, I believe in hell. Anna, do you believe in hell?"

"Yeah… I just hope that's not our next reunion," I mumbled. I could tell they all thought it was funny, I on the other hand wasn't so sure how funny I thought it was.

Sophie kept Mr. Jamison on the hook while Nate took care of Rockwell. _"Okay, Hardison, how is the speech coming?"_

He glanced over at me. "Actually, I passed that on to Anna, she needed something to do."

"_What?"_Nate sounded furious. I reminded myself to thank him for his faith in me later.

"Nate, it's good. I read it."

After a few mind complaints, the speech actually did its job very efficiently. Nate's surprise didn't exactly help my pride, but the fact I did better than he expected made me feel pretty good.

The next day, Rockwell with drew twenty-five thousand in small bills and I was sent with Eliot and Sophie to "follow the money".

Trust me, I loved Eliot Challenger as much as the next girl, but the backseat in that thing was not built for people. My knees were in the back of Sophie's seat and my legs were beginning to ache. I was definitely ready to get out of the damn car. Plus, I always get annoyed with the teams bickering.

"Why wouldn't you let me drive?" Sophie whined fluffing her hair with her fingers.

"This is my car," Eliot snapped back. "All right, Nate. We just got off at Lowell, about twenty minutes out. Tailing Rockwell's friend with the suitcase full of money."

"_Hometown?" _Nate offered.

"_Rockwell's not from Lowell, he's from Methuen,"_ Hardison clarified. _"Went to Tenny."_

This made the guessing game a little more fun. Nate went first.

"_Illegitimate kid." _

"_Or Reed used to be Rita."_

Sophie and Eliot exchanged looks while I barely muffled my laughter. Leave it to Parker. _"What? We were all thinking it."_

"_Really? That's like the line right there and you just cartwheel…"_

"_Could have been a woman."_

Nate quickly broke it up. _"All right, guys, guys. So we have no idea what Rockwell's up to here."_

Sophie looked over her shoulder at Eliot. "Hey, I wonder if Nate still thinks he's got all the angles of this fame thing covered."

Eliot pointed to his ear as if to remind her, but then he realized what she was going.

"_You know, Sophie, I can hear you," _Nate quipped.

Sophie rolled her eyes and directed her attention back to the trailer we were parked in front of. "Really?" she snapped sarcastically.

The woman who answered the door seemed distressed, but I couldn't quite make out what she was saying. Sophie kept the rest of the team informed with a play by play, while Eliot and I sized up the threat.

"I think this is gonna get physical in about thirty seconds," Eliot added. Just then, the thug tried to force his way passed the screen door and Eliot was unbuckling, bolting after him.

Sophie immediately rolled up the tinted windows and locked the door. I moment I moved to take off after Eliot, Sophie grabbed my wrist. "Don't you even think about it," she hissed.

I huffed and crossed my arms. "Put me on a leash, why don't ya?" I complained glaring at her.

"_We would if we didn't think you'd saw your way through it,"_ Nate added.

"Finally, something we can agree on," Sophie exclaimed turning her attention back to Eliot just in time to see him but the thug's head through a screen door.

Sophie and I both chuckled as the man stumbled into his SUV and peeled out of there. Nothing like a good Eliot fight to start off the day.

Blackmail our blackmailer with fake evidence that was once real evidence that he tampered with. So we were going to have to re-tamper with it to make it the way it was and put everything back in place.

The way I explained it is a whole lot simpler than Nate's explanation. He's terrible about thinking that everyone is on the same page as him.

Anyway, by the end of the night, Rockwell was in handcuffs and we were all sitting at the bar watching the news go on about the case. Eliot had a beer, Sophie with white wine, Nate with scotch, Parker and Hardison with club soda, and me with tea.

As the story went on about the wrecks we all turned to Nate. He didn't look at any of us. "All right, it was reckless."

Sophie dropped her head slightly and raised her eyebrow while rest of us smiled.

"It was worth it," Parker said, taking her bag off the table and leaving her glass.

Eliot and Hardison headed toward the door behind her. "Yeah, this time."

The two remaining adults looked at each other then looked at me. That was my cue to leave. "I think I'm going to go wait in the car… Because I don't like that look and I'm going now…" I picked up my bag headed for Sophie's Cadillac.

Truthfully, I was almost afraid of what Sophie was going to say to him, but I knew that if Sophie didn't want me in there, I didn't want to be in there.

Finally, they were alone. Anna was great, but she was like a member of the team who saw the personal side of everything and that's exactly what they didn't need right then. Still, Anna had a tendency of being concerned that when they were alone they were discussing her. Granted, a large part of the time, they were.

There was a long pause as Nate glanced over at Sophie. "'Well Nate, winning isn't everything,'" he mocked.

"At the beginning you were an honest man," Sophie said sweetly, smiling softly at his tired blue eyes. Her fingers wanted to reach out and touch his face, but she knew better. "And then for a while, you were a thief."

His eyes played into hers. "Yeah, maybe I'm both."

"You can't be both," she said getting to her feet and moving closer to his body. She was teasing him and daring him to open up as she rested her arm on the bar and cocked her him. "I'm just not sure at this point which one I want to win."

Leaning in, she kissed him on the cheek and smiled at him for a long moment. She wanted him to hold her and kiss her back, but she had a teenager waiting in the car. Plus, she didn't know how much longer she wanted to wait on the same man.

But she knew herself. She'd wait on him, as long as it took, she'd wait.

Nate could only watch as the door shut behind her. He wanted her to stay with him, but he was still trying to think. He laid down his glass and turned toward the door. Whether he was an honest man or a thief, he was hers. If not her lover, he was at the very least Anna's parent as well. Even in the odd way they were together, it was okay with him. He wanted more, but if he didn't get it, he knew he would be alright as well.

He watched out the window and the black Cadillac passed. Silently, he wish his girls a goodnight.

_**So, next chapter is either going to be Anna wanting to get her driver's license or Anna walking in on some interesting things… Or hell, we can make Anna blackmail them into letting her get her license and getting a new car maybe? I don't know. What do you think?**_


	25. A Lesson in Driving

_**Short chapter, but it has some key moments. Hope you all enjoy.**_

When dealing with Nate and Sophie, approaching them directly was usually easiest, but you often needed to do it someplace where if things didn't go according to plan, you could get the hell out of dodge. Therefore the bar while I was playing piano and everyone else was enjoying a little R and R sounded like a decent plan.

As I concluded the song, I could feel Nate watching me like he always did when I played. Taking a deep breath, I turned toward them and sighed, slumping my shoulders and grudgingly moving towards them.

Nate raised his eyebrow and shot a look at Sophie. "She wants something."

Sophie placed her book on the bar and looked at me in a way that told me I had her attention. Not to mention, I could feel that I had everyone else's as well.

"So, I've been thinking," I said carefully sitting on the table top in front of them and trying to read their expression before I went on. They seemed patient enough, but I really wanted to get this right. "If, maybe, I could get a car?"

The statement definitely came out as a question, but it also did a fair job of shocking them.

"You want a car?" Sophie said as though she wasn't sure she heard me correctly. "As in a vehicle?"

"Or a truck, just, ya know, something to drive…" I tried forcing a hopeful smile.

Sophie kept her eyes on me. "That's quite the request."

I could feel my hope begin to drain as I looked down at my feet. "Well… I'm sixteen and I was just kind of wanting to start driving… I mean can I at least start driving some?" I muttered rolling on the balls of my feet.

There was a long moment of silence. "Actually, Anna's right," Nate said finally.

And just like that, things blew up.

"She needs driving experience before we hand her keys to a vehicle," Sophie said carefully.

I jumped in. "I know, and I was hoping that one of you guys," I glanced behind me for help from Hardison, Eliot and Parker.

Eliot was the first. "Hell no, you're not driving my car. If Nate of Sophie offer up one of their vehicle sure, why not."

Sticking out my lip, I pouted at Hardison but he raised his hands in surrender. "Oh no, I'm not getting dragged into this. Me and Lucille are staying hell outta dodge. You take your teenage hands of destruction and keep them over there."

Parker jumped up from her seat. "I'll teach her."

"No!" the entire room shouted at her in a mixture of fear and shock.

I looked at them. "Why not? If you're not going to teach me then let Parker!"

The looks I received, you would have thought I had suggested that I single handily steal the Monalisa with nothing more than a rope and my pretty face. Maybe Sophie and Parker could do it, but I didn't have the experience they had.

"Have you ever been in the car when Parker's driving?" Hardison asked giving me one of his _girl gone crazy_ looks.

I glared at him. I could feel my anger rising. "I'm sixteen! If you aren't going to teach me then Parker can."

Sophie looked at Nate for help, and he stuttered as Parker and I got ready to head out the door. "Fine!" he said suddenly, as Sophie gave him a hard shove forward and looked at her desperately. "Fine, I'll take you."

"Really?" I cheered bouncing up and down. "You're going to take me driving?"

Nate looked as though he may be in physical pain, but eventually he nodded. "But we're taking Sophie's car."

Sophie nearly spit out her tea. "What?!"

As we climbed into the car, I suddenly felt a lot more nervous. Okay, this was not how I planned it. For some reason I thought I would just be handed the keys to a vehicle and be able to drive myself around and do whatever I please. Obviously not.

"Okay, now I don't think I need to remind you of this but if your hurt Sophie's car-"

"She'll kill me, I got it," I muttered pulling my seat belt on. I had driven before, plenty of times, but usually I was driving a getaway car or something. Plus, Nathan Ford in my passenger seat made me a little more nervous than I wanted to admit.

Not that it really surprised anyone, but I was a great driver. Well, I was a good driver and better than the average sixteen year old. And Parker. Which no one failed to tell me.

Still, Nate wasn't one hundred percent convince. In fact, he thought it would be more a better idea to have me pass several tests. Including knowing when we were being tailed, knowing how to lose a tail, and high speed driving. All of which Eliot had to approve of.

"You have to brake, shift, steer, shift, and brake!" Eliot snapped as Sophie's car drifted in the dust. Yes, one of Eliot's terms was to be sure I drifted correctly. She was going to kill us. I could feel it.

Finally, I threw the car in park and got out. Eliot also got out and slammed the door. "What?" he growled as I kicked at the dirt.

I crossed my arms. "Every other teenage kid would be grounded if they drifted their parents' car, but me? No, I have to pass a freaking drifting _test_!"

There was no sympathy for me in Eliot's eyes. This was one of those things that I _had_ to learn. "This isn't poor pitiful me time, Anna. If you want to learn to drive, then do it."

"I _know_ how to drive!" I pressed throwing my hands in the air.

Eliot stared at me, shaking his head slightly. "When are you going to understand that this life you have is not, nor will ever be, school plays and Friday night football? If you want that, tell Nate and Sophie, I'm sure you can go back to living with Maggie. But if you want to be a thief then grow up. It's your child like attitude that gets your ass in trouble."

At first I didn't know what to say, but I just kept getting angrier and angrier until I finally blew up. "I never had the chance to be a normal kid so how am I supposed to be one now?"

"You have the opportunity and you can take it," Eliot growled, pushing the Cadillac's door shut. "You want so badly to be normal, then go. Forget about the rest of us and go be whatever the hell you want to be. But I hate to break it to you Anna, you will never be like all those other kids. You will never be able to go to an art museum and not want to immediately look over your shoulder to scan security or be able to sit in an airport and get nervous when you go through security. You are _not_ normal."

Looking away and toward the grass field we had driven out to, I tried to not seem as hurt as I felt. It was so easy to hide how I felt to the rest of the world, but my team was my family and when they said something like that it hit a whole lot deeper than just an angry mark.

He was right, but I didn't want him to be. I wanted to be normal with a normal family, but I wanted him and Parker and Hardison and Nate and Sophie. I wanted to steal the hope diamond on a free weekend or go to a high school football game. Yet, if I was just average, ordinary, I would be satisfied being that, because I never experience the thrill of holding an artifact worth more than three million dollars in my hands, or known was it was like to take down a corrupt CEO who was hurting someone in a way that police couldn't stop.

"That's not fair," I muttered.

"Hate to break it to ya kid, but life's not fair. As much as we try to make it fair we're never going to be able change the fact something's in life just suck." Taking a step toward me Eliot exhaled a deep breath. "But when there are little rewards that make it worth it."

Slowly, I nodded. "Can I just go home? We can try again tomorrow," I said walking around to the passenger side of the car.

Eliot nodded and climbed into the driver's seat.

"Oh, and we may want to go through a car wash… Sophie's going to kill us if we bring the car back looking like this."

_**Come on my lovely readers, feedback?**_


	26. Friends with Extras

_**I think you guys will really like this chapter. Tell me what you guys think! **_

Nate and Sophie sat together at the bar as Emily, their newest client, explained her problem. "They hit my father. He has fractured ribs and a punctured lung. They could have killed him."

Sophie tilted her head at her. "Well, you called the police?"

"We couldn't identify the men," she said sounding as hopeless as she most likely felt. "We didn't get a license plate. Not much a small town sheriff can do."

Sophie nodded sadly, feeling bad for the girl. "But someone's been calling you?" Nate asked, his hands folded in front of him.

"A big shot from Verd Agra corporation called us last month. I turned him down," she explained.

"They tried to buy the farm?" Sophie asked, tilting her head and gaining Emily's eye contact.

"No. Something a lot more valuable." Reaching down, Emily pulled out a lunch box and laid it on the table in front of her. Sophie and Nate both watched as she opened it revealing an average looking potato.

"A… potato?" Nate said questionably.

Emily nodded, smiling softly. "Every year, half a million kids go blind because they don't have enough Vitamin A. So I developed a potato that has extra nutrients inside." Carefully placing the potato back into the lunch box, the girl shrugged as if it was nothing. "I'm a crop sciences major. It's my thesis project… Super Tuber."

Sophie and Nate chuckled softly, not knowing how else to express their amazement. Plus, the girl was just too darn cute.

"So, well, you created something extraordinary. Why not sell and take the payoff?" Sophie asked leaning back in her chair.

Emily licked her bottom lip and looked down at her creation. "There are families that are living on less than a dollar a day. I can't take their money." And with that, Sophie could do nothing more than smile at the girl. "I'm giving away the potato for free so that they can grow it themselves."

Nate shook his head and kept a smile. "Wow. An open source potato. So, clearly you're threatening Verd Agra's bottom line."

"I got another call this morning. Same big shot, same offer. He pretended he had no idea what happened to my dad." Emily sat up a little straighter and inhaled deeply. "I told him he couldn't scare me into selling." Pausing for a moment, she looked down and swallowed hard. "But, Mr. Ford, I am scared."

Nate looked into his cup of coffee. "Don't be. We're gonna take care of this… We're gonna take care of you."

Suddenly, Sophie found herself looking at Nate with a small grin. She knew he was thinking the same thing she was. That Emily was young, smart, and pretty, not to mention tough. The entire time they were listening to her he was thinking that this is what Anna could have been like. In a way, it made him smile as much as it hurt him to see the type of life his girl could have had.

Emily stood up. "Thank you."

Nate stood up and watched as the girl left and glanced over at Sophie. She looked good with her large shirt cast over her shoulder and the strap of her lace bra showing. Her hair was cast over her shoulder, down as usual, but a little more natural as well. It was one of the many moments that Nate just couldn't get over how beautiful she was.

Suddenly she stood up and started gathering her things. "What are you doing? Where are you goin?" he asked quickly. Too quickly.

Making a sound of exhaustion she kept moving. "I'm starving. All that talk about tubers."

Nate spoke before he could catch himself. "Let's-let's get dinner, or lunch, whatever time it is." He panicked when she raised an eyebrow at him, looking truly shocked. "Oh, no, no. I'm not… no. I'm not saying, like, dinner like that, no." He was using too many hand movements… This was a grifter he was talking to. "Just like a bite to eat, kind of…"

Sophie smiled at him, humoring him. "As colleagues."

Half shrugging, he kept going. "As friends…"

"Oh." The infamous Sophie Devereaux was seeing right through him and truthfully, he wasn't sure what he was meaning.

A nervous half chuckle escaped from his lips making her smile even more. This was a whole new step in there tap dance, but he was speaking to the master of fancy footwork. In a way she thought it was cute.

"A civilized working meal," she added almost questionably.

"Yeah, as friends."

That was the moment she knew she had him. She obviously glanced down him and twitched the side of her mouth into a smile.

"You said that part."

He noticeably gulped before she moved to his side and they walked out the door together.

They rounded the block together when Sophie could help but smile. She knew that this was going to end the way she wanted it to, but the question was how fast they wanted to get there. Nate cleared his throat as they entered the small diner. Truth be told, Sophie may have had expensive taste, but some days a good sandwich was enough.

Sophie ordered water and Nate got coffee, which she was definitely pleased with. Not that the diner served alcohol, but Nate seemed to have not drank anything today. It was just past noon and she wanted to play.

Slyly, she smiled at him. "Why the sudden change in attitude?" she asked as her foot moved up and down the bottom of his calf. Her grin grew as he swallowed hard. "Still hungry?"

The invitation wasn't even subtle as Nate saw that devilish grin and twinkle in her eye. To have the full concentration of Sophie Devereaux was something many men would not know how to react to. Most men. Possibly every man. Including Nathan Ford.

At least, he wasn't completely sure. "Famished," he quipped as though he wasn't effected, but that was much harder to seem relaxed than anyone could imagine.

"Really? Because I think I could wait to eat."

Seconds later the only evidence of them ever arriving at the restaurant was a wad of bills on the table and a chiming bell on the door announcing their exit.

*Anna*

The car was quiet as we drove back into the city. Eliot hadn't said a word and I was still trying to process everything he had said to me earlier. He was right. I did need to stop mourning my loss of normalcy and accept that what I am is what I always will me.

"Sorry," I muttered, looking down at my dusty shoes and mentally noting vacuuming Sophie's car probably was a safe idea as well. Truth be told, I was surprised they didn't just buy a car to let me practice on since they all were so attached to their own.

Eliot glanced over at me as we continued on the highway. "You're going to be okay kid. There's a reason most kids aren't thieves."

Because as much fun and excitement it is, it sometimes still sucked. Though, how many kids could say that they've held _Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuene_, a painting by Vincent van Gogh? The fact that I was the one that held that painting, a painting worth thirty million dollars in my hands is more than most art thieves can even say. Honestly though, it wouldn't surprise me if Sophie had that painting in storage.

As we drove around the block of the bar, Eliot parked and handed me the keys. Finally, he smiled a little. "Don't worry too much, kid. We all find something to feel normal."

I took the keys and stuffed them in my pocket, smiling at him a little. "You know, for a hitter, you're alright."

Eliot didn't smile. "For a kid, you're not too bad yourself."

Even though he wasn't smiling, I knew that somewhere, deep down, he was grinning from ear to ear. That was why he was my brother.

*Nate's Apartment*

They were already entangled with each other as Nate threw open his apartment door and Sophie kicking it closed. With a surprising amount of grace, she worked her way out of her heels and was undoing the buttons of his shirt. They kept moving, forcing each other's clothes off. Her shirt came over her head and as she undid the button of his pants.

The stairs looked like too much of an obstacle. Nate ran his fingers over her bare stomach and underneath the hem of her jeans making her groan in pleasure. It was driving them crazy. Sophie forced him onto the couch and crawled on top of him. A knee on either side of his hips, she quirked a smile and bit her lip.

That was the look that drove him completely insane, _and she knew it._

Suddenly he grabbed her and flipped her to where he was now on top. His lips went to her neck and she moan.

"Nathan Ford," Sophie groaned, her body rolling into his. "I swear if you give me a hickey…"

He grinned and continued his work.

*Anna*

The bar wasn't completely empty but it was pretty close. Cora smiled at me as I walked in and sat down. "Haven't seen my care takers, have you?" I asked her noticing that there wasn't a bottle of scotch laying on any of the tables. "They were meeting with a client today…"

"Yeah, they left about forty-five minutes ago or so. Sophie said something about being hungry," Cora replied offering me a glass of Coke. I smiled and thanked her. "So how's driving coming along?"

Rolling my eyes and exhaling. "It's coming, but Eliot is not a very easy instructor."

Cora smiled to herself. "I wish he would teach me how to drive."

There was a long awkward silence between the two of us as I just blinked at her. Her cheeks flushed against her pale skin and she looked horrified. "Please pretend I never said that."

I shook my head. "Didn't hear a thing."

Laying the glass back on the bar, I hopped off the bar stool. "Well I'm going to go wait upstairs for them," I told her, spinning Sophie's keys around my index finger and heading for the stairs.

*Nate's Apartment*

Sophie had already slid her shirt on and was pulling up her jeans. Nate had his pants and undershirt on, but hadn't made his way to his dress shirt yet. Glancing over her shoulder at Nate, she couldn't help but smile.

"Your hair's a mess," Sophie said moving closer and stepping closer to him and running a hand through his hair and stepping into him. Keeping her eyes on his she slipped her hand under his shirt and kissed him intently.

He kept his hands around her waist and held her against him. "Round two?" he asked between kisses. Suddenly the door handle jiggled and they jumped apart, both turning toward the door in horror.

"You remembered to lock the door?" Nate said almost impressed as Sophie glanced around the room and fought to find some control over her most likely unruly hair.

"I guess so. God, it has to be Anna, she's back early," Sophie said panicking, snatching her bra off the staircase and stuffing it in her purse. Quickly, she threw Nate's shirt at him and ran into the kitchen to put the kettle on the burner.

Finally the door opened, revealing Anna in with Sophie's keys in her hands. Sophie was standing in the kitchen attempting to look busy looking for tea bags.

For a moment Anna just stood there, feeling very awkward for a reason she wasn't quite sure of. Slowly she moved out of the doorway, closing it behind her and placing the keys on the table. Glancing from Nate to Sophie and back against, she cocked her head.

"What are you guys doing?" she asked carefully, mostly because she was worried about the answer. They could have been arguing and if they were arguing about her, she really didn't want to get into it and if they weren't she didn't want them to start arguing again. Either way, the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

"Making tea, would you like some?" Sophie replied in her usual tone.

Anna nodded, relaxing and moving onto a bar stool. "So what did you guys get to eat?"

It was meant to be a small talk type of question but Sophie nearly knocked the kettle of the stove and Nate suddenly started coughing. Anna blinked at both of them. "Is something wrong?"

"We never got the chance to eat, I mean, you had my car keys," Sophie replied shrugging slightly and casting Anna a smile. Thank God she knew how to lie her way out of anything, but with Anna she knew she'd pick up on something. It was just a matter of time before she called them out.

"Oh… We can go now. I'm kind of hungry," Anna said crossing her arms on the table and resting her chin on them.

"Actually," Nate said glancing over at Sophie who was now looking at him with great surprise. "Why don't you go get us all some take out?"

A smile spread across Sophie's face as she nodded. "Yes, how about Greek? Greek sounds good."

Anna blinked. "But the closest Greek place is like ten miles away."

Sophie handed her keys. "Take my car."

Maybe Anna should have questioned it then, but she was being handed keys to a car and being given permission to drive _alone_. Snatching the keys out of Sophie's hands she bolted for the door.

"Anything special?"

"Nope. You know what we like," Nate replied glancing over at Sophie who was already realizing what she had just done.

Covering her eyes as the door closed, she shook her head. "Did I really just give her the keys to my car?" she asked dragging her hands down her face.

"Must not be thinking straight," he replied huskily.

Sophie's face flushed, but they both knew play time was over now. They were lucky they made it out clean with that one. Still, they needed to at least talk about it, just to be sure they both were on the same page.

Actually. Sophie needed to know where Nate currently stood on their little affair, mostly because she wanted to where to take it from there. She wanted it to be real, but Nate wasn't ready for that and in a way he hadn't quite earned it either. But they were stepping in the right direction, she just needed to be sure they stayed on that path.

Smiling seductively at him, she played her part. "Nate, we were being spontaneous. Living in the moment."

Nate laughed and nodded as though that didn't even begin to say what they were going. "Yeah. It was…" Rubbing his face with his hand, he glanced away from her. "It was a mistake, yeah…"

Most women would have been hurt, but Sophie knew Nate and she knew he most definitely was not regretting it. She leaned toward him a little and grinned. "It's called San Lorenzo."

They both couldn't help but chuckle in agreement. Lifting an eyebrow, he looked her over. "Is that what they call it?" For a moment Sophie just watched him, waiting for the entire tap dance they have done for the last couple years end and turn into something much more seductive and rewarding. "Sophie, I…"

"Hmm?" Her grin was contagious, and they both laughed softly.

"I'm sorry, but you know that I don't… want a relationship. I really…"

He watched her. Not sure if she was going to react with anger or hurt, either way he was sure he was going to regret everything especially if the grifter wanted to leave. He cared about her, in a very special way, but he knew that he couldn't do the whole relationship thing. Sometimes he was barely able to do the whole _human being_ thing.

Much to his surprise, she laughed. "Of course you don't." If this would have came from any other woman, the words would have been venomous, but she almost seemed as though she already knew and was okay with it. "The work's the most important thing. I mean, the team's perfect the way it is. Why change?"

"Exactly what I was gonna say," Nate replied, relieved.

"Yeah. Hey, we're both adults. We enjoy each other's company." She shrugged. "We don't have to turn this into a big thing. We're just friends with… extras. There's nothing wrong with that."

Nate looked away from her and thought for a moment. What she said seemed almost too good. Something that Sophie Devereaux would begin a con with… Sophie wasn't the type of woman to just be friends with extras with. She was classy and it just seemed out of character. Then again… women have needs to.

Sophie tilted her head at him. "What I say?"

His eyes shot back to her and he hummed, not catching at first what she said. Finally, he shrugged. "What about Anna? How are we going to explain this to her?" he asked knowing that Anna spent most her time with one of the two of them.

Sophie shrugged and stepped a bit closer to him. He rest his hands on her hips and kissed her lips. It was so easy for him to do it. It almost felt like his hands belong on her his as much as his lips on her lips.

"You've always enjoyed a challenge."

Just then the kettle began to whistle. Stepping away, Sophie sent him a teasing glance and suddenly Nate was calculating how long it would be before Anna got back.

_**I love all my lovely readers! Wanna spread the love? How about a nice lovely review and what you think Anna's job will be in the Hot Potato Job! **_


	27. Pass the Potato

_**I love all my readers. They just brighten my day! **_

Almost immediately after I entered with food, the rest of the team was right behind me. Sophie took the bag from my hands and started pulling out the contents. Parker was in the kitchen getting herself cereal while the other team members found their places. Hardison started off his presentation.

"Her potato's better than a Flintstones vitamin. And it can take anything that nature has to throw down: drought, disease, bugs. Think that happens Naturally? No." Hardison looked at the potato on the screen with a mix of pride and amazement. "Emily, she's a hacker. She's a certified, stone-cold plant hacker. Computer hacking. Bio-hacking. That's the future."

Taking a bite of pita and hummus Sophie nodded. "And Verd Agra is going after that poor girl in plain sight."

Hardison agreed. "Oh yeah. The super tubers no joke." A line gragh with blue and green appeared on the screen showing how much more efficient the special potato was. "Yields, water requirements, viral resistance. That's a normal spud… Super tuber."

Okay, what the hell was a tuber? I understood that we were looking at some sort of genetically modified potato, but the term _tuber_ threw me off. Glancing over at Sophie I nudged her.

"What is a tuber?"

"It's a genetically modified plants that have extra nutrients in them," she clarified taking another bite, for once not caring how full her mouth was.

I nodded slowly. "Cool." Because it was! Suddenly I wished I could modify plants!

"U.S. potato crop's worth more than three point five billion dollars a year," Eliot announced taking a closer look at the criteria of the potato.

Parker joined us at the table, her mouth already full of cereal. "How do you know that?"

Eliot glared at her. "I'm from the heartland. We know crops." Giving the three of us girls odd looks as we ate.

"So," Sophie began, continuing to eat in a shockingly un-Sophie like manner, "this super tuber's worth more than, say, diamonds?"

That I found interesting. Parker on the other hand still wasn't convinced. "Come on, guys. A potato?" Suddenly her eyes lit up and she gasped. She moved her fingers across the tabled quickly, as though trying to impersonate something.

Everyone stared at her blankly. "What the hell was that? A bug? No, there's no bugs. No one's listening," Hardison sighed.

"_Shhhhh_!" Parker hissed glancing around. "I get it! They want the 'potato'."

We all slowly turned back to the screen, choosing to ignore her air quotes around the word. There was really no point in trying to explain it to Parker, all that mattered was running the con. If she wanted to think it was a diamond or whatever, we'd let her.

"I've heard of Verd Agra," Eliot said sliding one of the folders to him and glancing through it. "They spend more money on security than most countries. Usually hire guys like me."

This did not please Nate at all. His brow furrowed and he looked at nothing in particular. It was his usual thinking expression. "So they… they got muscle." He moved away from the stairs and took a bite of his food. "Tell me about their suits."

A picture of a bald man appeared on the screen next to the potato. He was probably in his fifties and was in a suit that I would estimate in annual income to be in the triple digits. First number probably a five.

"Him, right there, that's Colin Saunders, record-long tenure as CEO. This man is super power hungry and super paranoid," Hardison laid out. I grabbed his file and flipped through it. "He's very good at staying at the top."

I snorted in disgust. "Because he's really good at stepping on other people's heads."

Hardison gave me a glance. If you wanted to piss Hardison off, interrupt him while he's trying to give us the rundown. "_And_," he looked back at the screen, "acquisitions are his favorite part of the biz."

Another picture appeared. This time of a woman. Just by the expression on her face I could tell she was not the friendliest type of person. Most likely seen as cold by her employees, not a big smiler, one of those women who want to be at the top so badly they throw away their social lives. Opening her file, I smiled slightly. Of course, I was pretty much right.

"Jana West, his number two. She's chief of operations. Ambitious, cutthroat. Saunders calls the shots then he sends Jana to do the dirty work."

Nate opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by a cell phone. His cell phone. Reaching in to grab it from his jacket that was hanging on the back of Sophie's chair, both of them looked a nervous. I was pretty sure the rest of the team was too busy focusing on the potato to see the odd interaction between the two of them.

"Yeah?" his brow furrowed and Sophie's expression changed to concern. "I want you to stall them. Do whatever it takes to… to buy us some times until we can get there. Okay?"

The entire team was staring at him as he hung up the phone. "All right, Verd Agra is back."

"More muscle?" Eliot asked shifting his chare.

Sophie shook her head and leaned forward as Nate grabbed his jacket off the chair. "Worse. Lawyers."

Sophie snatched her coat up that was laying underneath Nate's and everyone headed for the door completely abandoning our dinner. For a long moment I stayed back. Sophie and Nate were acting so weird. Anytime they were too close to each other, they got tense, but their body language ended there. It was bizarre.

Before anyone could know I was missing, I grabbed my black jacket off of the hanger by the door and headed after them.

If you've ever been in the back of a van going eighty down a country road, you know at times it gets a little nerve racking. Not to mention, it was pouring rain. Still, we had to get there.

Emily was sitting at a picnic table under her porch when we showed up. Her eyes were glassy and cheeks splotchy.

We all stood around her as though it would shield her from anything more. "When'd they leave?"

Emily barely looked up at him. "Ten minutes ago."

"If you let that stuff get back to the facility, it's gonna be like breaking into Fort Knox. We got to move," Eliot informed Nate, but didn't move. He stood patiently awaiting his orders.

Sometimes it amazed me how much Eliot reminded me of a soldier. Always calm and collected but also always ready to protect his team. Nate nodded and that was all the permission Eliot needed to move toward the vehicle.

"Sophie, Hardison, Anna, take the back roads and cut them off," Nate commanded.

Hardison nodded. "How?"

We all were moving closer to the cars. "Get creative. We'll come up from behind and bottle them up. Let's go."

I dove into the back of the van and Hardison took off. As he turned the corner, I fell over in the seat. Holding onto one of the "oh shit" handles, I felt a little more secure. Hardison turned hard again and I clutched the rubber handle harder.

When the van came to a stop, Sophie and Hardison exchanged looks. Sophie looked at the flatbed trailer of straw. "He said get creative."

Hardison unbuckled and opened the door. "Hide Lucille."

I slid up into the passenger seat as Hardison climbed out and Sophie took over the wheel. Hardison climbed on top of the trailer and kicked off several bales. "Cut the strings and pile it over the road. In a _convincing _manner," I told him, watching as Sophie parked the van behind some brush and trees.

We both climbed out of the van into the rain and watched as two SUVs neared the scene. Hardison grabbed his headphones and the pitchfork began. While piling the straw back onto the trailer… he danced.

Sophie and I both groaned. Seriously? How terrible can one black man be at acting country? Alec Hardison was the absolute worst person to ever pretend to be country. He simply was not cut out for potential dial up or frequent power outages. Plus, manual labor. Actually, mention manual labor and most of the time Hardison was out.

He was humming and nodding his head, evening moving his hips, as the chick with an ego and her minions exited the car.

Pretending to just notice them, he pulled his headphones out and stuffed them in his pocket. "Could use a little help neighbor. Had myself a snafu."

I glanced over to Sophie. "What the hell is he trying to sound like?"

There was a long pause where the three of them stood there, apparently trying to figure out the same thing. "Or you could just stand there like bourgie city folk, cold-hearted, unhelpful."

I rolled my head back and inhaled deeply, praying that Nate and Eliot would arrive soon or else someone, meaning Hardison, may end up getting hurt. The men in black suits started moving the straw out of the way of the road.

Jana West was not fooled by Hardison's terrible acting. She stepped a bit closer to him and positioned herself directly between him and her vehicle. "You don't look like a farmer."

Hardison stepped closer with attitude that didn't exist in the country. "'Scuse you? Miss city and siddity? Ain't you heard of the urban farming revolution?"

Next time, I was going to be the distraction. When Nate said "get creative" he also meant "keep it believable" and that was something Hardison often failed at. His moments in the grifter position were often ruined when he decided to over act. He only over acted when he got nervous, and a hacker working outside of his van can get nervous very easily.

"See, look here. Big business calls food hormone sandwich with a side of pesticide fries. I'm trying to bring it back. Real chick-en." He scanned her up and down. "You probably eat just an old butter nugget."

Sophie had enough. "Oh Hardison," she grumbled, moving out of the hiding spot and making her way toward the group. Glancing behind her she held her hand up telling me to stay where I was.

"_Remember Laos. You and agriculture do not mix,"_ Nate groaned over the com. Nodding to myself, I couldn't agree more.

"_I keep telling him you can't fake country,"_ Eliot added, seeming just as annoyed as the rest of us felt.

Then Parker jumped in with optimism. _"I think they're buying it."_

"_Parker, it's not working. Anna, stay where you are," _Sophie commanded over the coms.

"_Sophie, what are you doing?"_ Nate asked as she was nearing the group from an angle where she was unseen. This was going to be interesting.

Strutting up with her hair now pulled back, ignoring the pouring rain, drenching her coat and jeans, she looked completely in control. _"I'm living in the moment."_

All I could do was watch as she grabbed Hardison by the shoulder, spun him around to face her, and punched him square in the jaw. Covering my mouth, I burst out laughing as Hardison fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Oh my God, that was the best thing I've ever seen!" I laughed leaning against Lucile as struggled to regain my composure.

"_Sophie, Hardison, Anna, what's happening?" _Nate asked as Sophie shook her hand. Yeah, that probably did sting a little.

"Sophie just punched him in the face!" I cried, still unable to control my laughter.

"_Punched who?"_Nate sounded a little leery, but not worried. Sophie knew how to take care of herself.

"Hardison!"

I had a strange feeling that everyone in the car was smirking at that one.

Jana West glared at Sophie. "Who are you? Where the hell did you come from?"

In an oddly familiar American accent, Sophie rubbed her wrist. "Miranda Kaley. Security consultant. I'm here to secure the product. I've been covering you since the farm."

Still, West didn't seem very sold. "Kaley? I wasn't briefed about you."

Sophie gave an unapologetic smile. "It's above your pay grade, ma'am. Board of directors send me. You weren't supposed to stop." Sophie stood a few inches taller than West and she used it to her advantage to threaten the woman's power. "Our position is compromised. My car's a burn. I'll have to ride with you."

West seemed more willing to take orders then. The power Sophie was portraying was just threatening enough for respect but not enough to piss her off, so she seemed to be more willing to go with it.

West nodded at Hardison laying in the straw. "What about him?"

Sophie glanced down at him. "He's just a diversion, but there is an assault team on its way to you now. We can stand here and discuss it and just wait for them, or we can discuss this at Verd Agra when the product is secure."

There for a moment I was worried that West would turn her down, but she nodded just as I was sure Sophie knew she would. That was what made Sophie such an amazing grifter, she could pick out weak points in people and think on her feet.

I crouched lower behind the brush as the SUV drove by with Sophie, West, and her two minions in it. After they passed I ran toward Hardison who was just beginning to sit up, grabbing his jaw. His lip was even bleeding.

Go Sophie!

Everyone got out of the car and came walking toward us. Nate seemed to have his usual thinking face on, but Eliot seemed to not let go of a grin as I helped Hardison up.

"She popped you, huh?" Eliot asked, obviously please.

I nodded, dissolving into a fit of giggles. "Man, you should have seen it! Followed through with her hips and everything!"

Hardison shrugged, but he seemed really put out. "Naw, man, I had to help her out. I had to really sell it."

Nate moved past us and looked on to where the SUV drove toward. "All right Sophie, calling audibles? Hope this works out for you." He may have sounded alright, but I could tell he was a little worried.

"They're headed back to Verd Agra headquarters. I hope Sophie tells us what game she's running," Nate turned back and headed back to the car followed by Eliot and Parker.

Hardison and I headed back to the van. I glanced up at him smirking. "You're bleeding," I pointed out, touching his chin.

He jerked away and rubbed it again. "Girls got a ride hook like freight train."

All I could do was laugh again. This was one of those times where you can't help but to love your people.

Nate and Eliot were discussing while Eliot and I scanned the area. I rounded the corner of the block, I noticed that the well dressed security had thick builds. This wasn't your average rent-a-cop where the men were twenty pounds overweight, munching on donuts. Nope, these were some serious ass kickers.

Apparently with Sophie inside, we had a chance.

I walked from around the corner as Sophie stepped out of the SUV. She had control of the situation but I was curious to see how well this was going to work. Heavy security with metal detectors and armed guards were at every entrance and emergency exit. It was going to be interesting getting in, unless Sophie could give us an entry.

"_Sophie sure thinks fast. She sent me Jana's cell phone number, so now we control her calls," _Hardison informed us as I moved back to the van.

Sliding the door open, Nate looked at the three of us. "Isn't anyone mad at Sophie?" he asked. "Hardison, she punched you in the face."

Needless to say, Nate wasn't sure why we were okay with Sophie taking action when if Nate would have done anything similar we would have been a little more upset. Apparently, while Nate was in jail Sophie ran the team. Not that it was all that shocking to find out, but she was pretty damn good at it.

"She knows what she's doing," I told him. "I trust her."

"Plus it takes a real man to take one for the team," Hardison said with a bland expression. I couldn't quite tell how fond he was of taking ones for the team.

Eliot chuckled. _"Hey, whatever you need to keep telling yourself."_

Nate shook his head. "Sophie said she was a security consultant. We need to build her a profile.

They're going to be checking her credentials any second. Anna, you need to see if you can find yourself a way it."

I nodded and jumped back out of the van. Quickly braiding my hair down the side and let it hang off my shoulder before going and fishing through my wallet for a suitable ID. Finally, I pulled out a St. Mary's school ID and a driver's license to match. Perfect.

Moving through the same doors Sophie did, I walked up to the counter and smiled at the woman sitting behind it.

"Hello," I greeted sweetly. The woman looked up at me, confused.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes! I'm a student at St. Mary's and my FFA sponsor told me that I'm suppose to shadow someone? He didn't tell me who." I shifted my weight nervously. If the woman felt bad for me she was more likely to give me more information that I can use.

The woman frowned for a moment. "Is your sponsor William Mauk?"

I nodded, shrugging slightly, sensing she didn't exactly care for the guy. "He's not the most organized guy."

The woman sighed and offered me a student guest pass. "He normally has you shadow Michele Kilburn. If you take the elevator at the end of the hall to the second floor, she'll be in the office to your left."

Nodding enthusiastically, I headed down the hallway, definitely _not _headed for Michele Kilburn's office.

"_Damn, Nate. Did you actually think she was going to pull that off?"_ Hardison asked as I silently patted myself on the back.

"_Um, no. At least not like that," _Nate replied as I lifted a badge off of a lab tech and slid into the employee locker room.

No one was in so I quickly pulled my hair tie out and took off my jacket, stashing it in a nearby locker. Then I pulled out my purse and dumped my make up in the sink. Applying more makeup than I ever wore and pinning my bangs out of my face. Extra blush was added in appropriate places to make my cheekbones seem more defined. Eye makeup was darker and I even took changed into colored contacts.

I pulled at the neckline of my shirt until it dipped visibly lower. Adding a little bit of eye shadow between my breasts to make my cleavage like there was more than what was actually there on my tiny, body I looked in the mirror. It would have to do.

My sixteen year old face looked closer to twenty-five and my black leggings and tunic framed my figure enough to give the illusion my body was more developed than it really was.

"Hardison, I need you to make me a cover that puts me working for the company since the potato was discovered by Verd Agra," I told him, grabbing a pair of glasses out of my purse and sliding them on.

"_You're going to play Sophie's inside man," _Nate clarified for the rest of the team. _"Good girl. Find your way to the lab and the rest of us will find an in."_

Nodding to myself, I made a beeline for the elevator. Time to play Hot Potato.

_**Anna gest to have a little fun in this episode. Bouncing between grifter and thief is a good thing for her, especially in this episode. Tell me what you think! Love always, Marilynn**_


	28. Grifting with the Pros

_**Random comment. In the Hot Potato Job, the date mentioned by the CEO REALLY is my REAL birthday! Haha. Just and FYI. **_

Perk of having Hardison on your side was he often did things without having to be asked. My phone chimed and a building map appeared on my screen. It was very helpful when moving up to the third floor and scanning my ID in. Sitting down at a desk, I glanced around, taking in my surroundings. People were mostly in their own worlds. Not even noticing another person in their area.

Thank goodness for high turnover rates.

"_Hardison, Anna needs an ID card," _Sophie muttered._ "And I've been stashed in what looks like an interrogation room."_

Using the few hacking skills I had, I logged onto the desk top computer in front of me and clicked on the employee directory.

"_Okay, Anna, you're cover is Alison Rodgers. You're in. The printer in HR has your ID, work fast,"_ Hardison told me as I scanned the list, picking out who would have what security clearance. It seemed to be labeled in colors.

"What security clearance do I have?" I asked copying the employee directory into my phone. Pushing the desk chair in I moved toward Human Resources. "Sophie, I hope you have a plan."

"_Anna, you're yellow, and I'm hoping the same thing Soph," _Hardison replied as I ducked into the HR room and smiled at the lady at the front desk.

The woman smiled back at me and offered me the plastic card on the desk without even a word. Apparently people lost their badges quiet frequently in this place, but then again, if someone lost their badge they were pretty well locked out of everything other than the rooms open to public entry or ones you can sneak in behind people with. Yeah, I could pick all the locks, but people may start noticing someone with paper clips spending way too much time by the door.

Moving back to the lab area, I snatched up a lab coat and clipped it on the pocket.

"Lab Tech Alison Rodgers, reporting for duty," I whispered to my teammates as I flashed a smile at one of the male Lab Tech's who seemed to have noticed me.

Again, logging onto the computer, I listened to Sophie play out her con. _"The board hired me and told me to apprise CEO Saunders directly. One of my own has also been planted in the company." _There was a pause. _"You're tough, don't convince easily. I like that. I'm not blind. You're the leader in the trenches. These men, they respect you."_

Sophie was playing the _tough women stick together _card. It was definitely effective on West who seemed to even be confiding in Sophie a little.

"_Till I make a mistake."_

"_And then they tear you down. It's not easy being a woman with vision," _Sophie agreed.

Eliot piped in, sounding confused. _"What's that voice?"_

I smiled to myself. "I think she's doing you! I put it together about ten minutes ago."

Eliot growled and mumbled something about the lack of respect, but I had a feeling he secretly was okay with it. Besides, at least Sophie wasn't butchering his accent like everyone does with hers. Maybe this was her revenge.

Sophie continued on with West. _"Look, I know you acquired a potato from the Margold family. It'll increase your yield by forty-two percent. Reduce your irrigation needs by a third."_

Now the other woman was going to get defensive. _"Who told you that?"_

"_Like I said, I have one other person in here also her job is to report to the board. They hired me because you have a security breach and they don't know who to trust, ma'am. You got a mole."_

"_She running an Romanian circus,"_ Nate announced to us, putting the pieces together. _"You turn the mark's suspicions against his own people so he's vulnerable to an outside attack. You fake an internal enemy."_

That could be fun. Fake internal enemies is one of my favorite cons. Everyone's so paranoid by the end that they become completely blind to everything that's really happening.

"_Now, it could be you,"_ Sophie added, increasing the woman's nerves. _"It could be him or him. It could be anyone. Give me twelve hours, ma'am. I'll find him."_

We had them on the hook. Sophie was running a variant of the Romanian circus called the snipe hunt. All she was doing was moving the con along faster so we could get in and get out. After all, it's already been a long day.

"_Saunders wants to see you and your inside man. I suggest you call him up," _West commanded.

Moments later my cell phone began to ring. I blinked at it for a second trying to decide how to play this.

"Alison Rodgers," I said plainly.

"Rodgers, we're moving on the potato. CEO Saunders would like to speak with the both of us. Meet us there in ten minutes and no lollygaggin'."

Ending the call, I check the map on my cell phone. His office was up on the sixth floor and I on the opposite side of the building. There was no times to check and see if I needed more resources or even hope that he didn't question me on the alias Hardison created for me. All I could do was hope Sophie covered me if I messed up.

As I exited the elevator, Sophie was waiting on me. Her look was stony, but I could tell she was also shocked by my appearance. She nodded to me and joined me as we walked side by side, led my West and trailed by two men into Saunders office.

The office wasn't as large as I thought it would be. In fact, compared to some CEO offices I had been in it was rather pathetic. Nothing expensive on the wall, well, not _really_ expensive. A painting worth maybe four grand and a statue worth six was nothing. Normally there was half a million dollars worth of decorations in the office of a CEO's with a company of this size.

The two men waited outside while the three of us women entered the office. Saunders passed in front of us and sat on the front of his desk. Cocky little bastard. Cocky, _balding_, little bastard.

"April 6, 1994 I became CEO," he said fixing his suit jacket. "Ever since I reached the top, people have been trying to take things from me. I mean, we barely get out hands on our newest acquisition, and a mole wants to take it away."

He fixated on me for a moment. Most likely because I was an inside threat to him, at least he thought I was. In his eyes I was sent to spy on him and his company and report back to the board. In some ways, I was worse than the mole he thought he had.

Sophie didn't budge. "Regrettable, sir."

Saunders temper began to rise. "Yes, it is. It is very regrettable. We did that girl a favor." There was a slight change in Sophie's body language that told me she wanted to say something, but she quickly got back into character. "She doesn't have the resources to get her discovery out there. We're… we're on every continent. We reach millions of people's lives." The man shrugged. "In return, we deserve a healthy cut."

Healthy cut taken out of your ass. Sometimes I was very glad I was getting better at keeping my tongue at bay because this would have been one of those moment that really could have screwed me over if my attitude decided to rear its ugly head.

Sophie's hands were held so tightly in her lap I could see the veins bulging, but she also was controlling her personal feeling quite well at the moment.

"Sir, is the product secure?" she asked, leaning forward slightly.

Saunders nodded. "It's in our burn room. I'm the only one with access."

Translation, some board spy and her munchkin was not getting anywhere close to it. Not without everything going up in flames. My guess was that the burn room had to be close to the center of the building and he was not the only one with access to the area.

"_We need to get that potato out of the burn room," _Nate told us as though we didn't already know that much.

Sophie stood and I followed suit. She offered him her hand. "I'll find you your mole, Mr. Saunders. First thing to do, lockdown. No one get in, no one gets out. We trap him," he accepted her hand and she used her other hand to pat his elbow, "and we root him out."

As they released, I saw her snag his badge and slide it into her pocket with ease. If I would have blinked, I would have missed it. Damn, Sophie was good.

Saunders and West were in the corner of the office discussing something that I couldn't hear, but they didn't look happy. Sophie glanced at me. "It almost bothers me that you aged ten years in five minutes," she muttered in her normal voice.

I resisted the urge to grin with pleasure.

"_Okay, Hardison's in, next up?" _Nate asked. I could tell her was pacing just by the sound of his voice.

Sophie turned toward me and acted as though she was speaking to me in hushed tones. "I told them my assistant's on his way. They're expecting an accountant with excellent credentials."

"_Okay, good, that takes care of me. Who's next?"_

I shook my head. "Nate, we need Eliot. Sophie and I are covering all the bases we can, but this is a muscle role. If something goes bad we need someone who can fight, not just talk," I told him earning a nod from Sophie. She cracked a pleased smile at me, obviously glad I was really embracing my role this time instead of just doing as I was told.

Nate didn't reply immediately. "Anna's right," Sophie added. We both waited for Nate's reply. "Are you there?"

"_Yeah, I'm here. That makes perfect sense. I just thought you'd get me in."_

Sophie rolled her eyes. "You expect Anna to get herself in and me to open up a door for you? You're the mastermind, figuring something out."

The look in her told me she was not happy with him at the moment and it had more to do than just with the con. They were always bickering about something or another, I just assumed Nate crossed some moral border than Sophie didn't want to put up with.

"_Okay, Eliot, get to the door. Sophie and Anna will do the rest. Anna, keep your eyes and ears open. If something feels wrong get out of there and let the others handle it, understand?"_ Nate commanded as Sophie glanced at me to be sure I was taking him seriously. Reluctantly I nodded. _"And Eliot, look the part."_

If anyone began to realize that I haven't actually been working at the company for the last couple months, then I needed to get out of there and _play_ the mole. Sophie and Eliot would be able to spin the story but if I was too close it would blow up in our faces.

West nodded at us to follow her and we met Eliot at the door.

His pink dress shirt was just a little on the tight side, not that anyone minded. Eliot could pull off tight.

As Sophie and I greeted him, he dropped his voice. "Lots of ex-military working around here. ATF, Secret Service." Sophie and I exchanged bewildered looks. Eliot looked annoyed. "You can tell by their stance. It's a very distinct stance."

Moving away from the door, Sophie shook her head. "Nate, you in? We're out of time?"

"_Oh we're in."_

West walked up to me and looked me over. I could feel both Sophie and Eliot tense, but I just kept a soft, nearly sarcastic, smile on my face.

"Yes?" I said with ice sharpening my voice.

She raised her eyebrow at me. "How long have you been working here?"

Hardison jumped in over the coms. _"February sixth of this year."_

"Since early February. I was brought on as an advisor for the tuber," I replied firmly.

Still, West glared at me. "You look like a high schooler."

"And you look like someone who wants to be on top so bad, you'll do anything to get it," I snapped taking a daring step toward her. The knife was inserted, now for a fun little twist. "You may have convinced Miss Kaley here, but you have yet to convince me that you are completely ignorant about the leak in this company."

West sent me one last hard glare before turning on her heel and walking away. At that moment, I was even mildly impressed with myself. I hadn't gotten to play full grifter in a while. Man, I missed it.

Sophie took the lead and headed back toward CEO Saunders's office. A man in a red dress coat ushered us in. Sometimes these people and their uniforms made me really sad. A maroon dress coat? He looked like he should be an usher at the movie theatre.

Saunders turned and looked at us.

Sophie introduced Eliot. "My associate Tom Boonen. He's a forensic accountant."

Eliot shook Saunders's hand. "Numbers don't lie."

I elbowed him in the gut. He had to change his accent at least a little or else two people having the same southern sound may make send up red flags in Boston. Catching my drift, Eliot cleared his throat and coughed into his fist.

"Excuse me," he tried again in less twangy voice. "Numbers don't lie. I won't let them."

"We've trapped the mole, Mr. Saunders. Now we need access to anyone we red-flag as suspicious, like your head of IT."

She was giving Hardison and opening to get into the area safely and without having to worry too much about being asked questions. Saunders nodded and gave his people the command.

"Also, Miss Rodgers needs to do a walkthrough of the building. She needs to see where your weak points are. I know you think you don't have any, but apparently you do."

Saunders glared at me. "Alright, but Hathaway, you follow her."

For a moment I glanced up at Sophie. She met my gaze and nodded. If I had to, I could take one guard out. Just as long as I could still make it out.

"_Anna, set up points along the way to cause distractions if need be. I don't care what you have to do, just keep it small enough that it doesn't hurt anybody but big enough to cause panic," _Nate commanded as I took the elevator to the top floor. _"When Parker gets to the burn room I need you to create a distraction. Think you can handle that?"_

I smiled to myself. "Distractions my middle name."

The male guard looked at me. "What was that?"

"You really are deaf aren't you?"

"_Wait , so we found a real mole?" _Hardison asked as I continued lecturing the guard about how unsecure air vents that size were and how easy they are to crawl through. Very high security risk.

"_She's good at what she does. And Anna, don't give the guy too many pointers. We like it when we can find flaws easily in security," _Nate added. _"Sophie, I need you to convince her not to lift the lock down or else everyone else will be caught in minutes."_

I looked at Hathaway for a moment. "If you could excuse me for a minute, I need to use the lady's room."

Without waiting for a reply, I dove into the nearest rest room and locked the door behind me. "What's the plan here guys? Do I need to head back down?" I asked surprising myself when I looked in the mirror. Man, I didn't look like myself at all.

Sophie didn't respond, she just played her con. _"Do really think he acted alone? Does he ignore your ideas even when you're obviously right? Does he seem uncomfortable when you're in control, when you're the one calling the shots for once?"_

I had a feeling Sophie was _not_ talking about Saunders. "Dammit, you guys need marriage counseling or something. This is just getting bad," I muttered as I reached into my purse and pulled the cover off of the hand dryer. Rewiring it, I replaced the cover. "I mean, Nate just got told without even getting told!"

"_Maybe he doesn't have this company's best interest at heart, hmm? Maybe he's got another agenda."_

I shook my head unlocked the bathroom door. "Green zone covered. Moving to yellow."

Parker was in the safe and Sophie was struggling to keep Saunders on the hook.

"_Anna, on my signal…"_

Hathaway was now taking notes and actually listening to some of my advice. No better security consultant than a thief. We see all the holes. All the minor flaws and major flaws. But I had to be careful I wasn't giving him too much.

"_Anna, go!"_

Spinning around, I landed a kick to the back of his knee and nailed him in the back of the head with a desk lamp before triggering my "distractions". The smoke alarm blared and tiny mishaps began. Bathroom hand driers burst into flames, light bulbs popped and shattered, all the phones began to ring.

"_Parker, get out now! Anna, get to the bottom floor!"_

Sprinting toward the staircase, I nearly collided into Parker. She greeted me with a smile. "The burn room really lights up fast!" she told me as we continued down the staircase. We parted on the bottom floor.

I headed toward the CEO's office. Eliot and Sophie met me halfway. "Their computers are fried and they're employees are scared to death," I told them I pulled off my glasses. Suddenly I stopped. "But I don't want to leave my favorite jacket!"

Sophie even rolled her eyes at that one and grabbed my arm. "Sometimes we have to make sacrifices."

We all met outside of the building. Saunders and West were taken care of and whisked. Nate and Parker returned the children they stole and we were on our way back home.

Emily met us back at the bar and we returned _part _of her potato. We couldn't really sneak the entire potato out of the building, be we got her enough to matter. Sophie and Nate were talking when I walked up to them.

"So, everything alright now? No more passive aggressive anger or snide comments?" I asked raising an eyes brow at them.

"Everything's good. Actually," Sophie dug into her purse and offered me a makeup wipe, "You did amazing today. Make up, distractions, acting, all of it. I'm really proud."

Nate nodded, also smiling. "Apparently you can really grift when you set your mind to it."

I grinned, but suddenly sent a bit more of a bashful look up at Sophie. "Can we maybe go shopping tomorrow and get a new jacket. I really liked that one."

Sophie and Nate both laughed before nodding. I gave her a tight hug and chased after the others who were going out to get some food.

*Nate and Sophie*

Nate sipped his drink while Sophie smiled. "Nice work in the vault."

He just looked at her. "I was living in the moment." They shared a deep smile before Nate cleared his throat. "Punching Hardison, that was inspired. Work of a mastermind."

Sophie smiled, then gave him a look. The look that he knew, at least he thought he knew. "What?"

"What?" she giggled back.

Nate shook his head. "Now come on… I mean, I can't…"

Sophie kept that smile and the look in her eye. "What? Do this? We can't do this? Really? A former Jesuit seminary student can't do a casual relationship? Big shocker."

"No, it's just… I mean…" The force of Sophie Devereaux was one that he was not able to say no to. Not on this subject at least. In fact, he wasn't really sure if he wanted to say no anymore. "Just… what do we do?"

Sophie got her feet in victory and leaned in close to his ear. "Dinner," she whispered seductively, hooking her finger into his belt loop and giving it a slight tug before going to the door.

Taking one last sip of his drink, he shook his head. As usual Sophie won, and though he may be going to bed hungry tonight, you weren't going to hear a complaint from him.

_**Hope you all guys enjoyed this chapter! Next up: Carnival Job! Maybe Anna can make a friend! Reviews are appreciated! **_


	29. Storms

Sophie snuck into her apartment, unzipping her boots as soon as she walked through the door, and locking the door behind her. As a usual precaution, she slid the chain as well. It was a long day, a really long day. A good day, no, a _great_ day. A day where you have sex _twice_ and send a corrupt CEO to jail is definitely considered a great day.

As she continued toward her bedroom, she opened up Anna's door to check on her. There was her girl, sleeping peacefully and her Teddy no longer glued to her chest. Slowly the scared, impulsive, angry little girl was evolving to into this beautiful, intelligent, quick young woman. She had been with them for six months and Sophie honestly thought Anna made them better as people. She connected them all.

Just as she was about to close the door, the girl rolled over and yawned. "What time is it?" Anna mumbled already starting to get up.

"It's late, go back to sleep, I just wanted to check on you," Sophie said softly ready to close the door.

Anna glanced at her cell phone laying next to her.

"It's one in the morning." Suddenly the girl was much more alert than Sophie wanted her to be.

"Nate and I got to talking." Among other things. Still, they did some talking. Plenty of drinking and lots of other things, but talking was something they did.

Anna studied Sophie for a moment longer before settling herself back into bed. "Night, Sophie."

Sophie smiled. "Goodnight."

As the turned and pushed open the door to her bedroom, guilt was already eating away at her. If anyone had the right to know, Anna did. Everyday life was very much affected by Sophie and Nate. Decisions couldn't be made without including her in them to. Maybe they made a mistake. Maybe they shouldn't do this.

If it didn't work, Sophie knew she could make Nate and Anna feel like things were back to normal, even if it was at the risk of her own sanity. But if it did… Then over a decade of waiting wouldn't be in vain.

Peeling off her clothing, she threw it to the corner of her bedroom, and for once she didn't care that it didn't make it in the hamper. She knew that Nate and her had something special. She's always known.

No one could possibly love her the way Nate could. He knew her. He understood her. He trusted her, even more than she trusted herself.

Pulling on her night gown, she looked into the mirror and traced her fingers over her stomach wishing she could still feel him holding her against him afterward. His hot breath on her neck and their bare bodies comfortable beneath the sheet.

When the time was right, she would tell Anna. _They_ would tell Anna. But only when the time was right. Still, she almost wanted to make it up.

Two hours later, Sophie jumped awake to the sound of thunder crashing. Her heart was beating wildly as she straightened up in bed and glanced at the clock. It was only three in the morning, she had only been asleep for two hours.

Still, if she was awake, so was Anna.

Stepping out of bed, she grabbed her robe and headed across the hall. Sure enough, there sat Anna cross legged on her bed. Teddy had be snatched away from her bedside table and rested in her lap as she stared out the window.

"Hey," Sophie said softly trying not to spook the girl, but she jumped anyway.

"Hey."

Moving over to the bed, Sophie joined her girl and held her as they both watched out the window. "I know you never sleep through storms," Sophie told her.

Anna looked up at her. "How?"

Pulling the small frame into her arms, she rested her head on top of her daughter's. "I normally check on you and if it's storming you usually are awake watching it."

"You never came in before."

"It's been a while since it stormed. Last time I wasn't sure if you would feel comfortable." She smiled a little. "Unless you count the time on the island and we were all a little busy trying to stay out of jail."

*Anna*

I smiled too.

Sophie's warmth comforted me, more than she could have known. I had been dreaming of my mother a lot lately, strange dreams. Pointless dreams. Yet they still bothered me more than I care to admit.

Wrapping my arms around one of Sophie's, I took a deep breath.

"Tornadoes," I said as though it was the answer to a question she had already asked.

Sophie almost laughed. "What?"

"Tornadoes. They happen a lot in Missouri." Releasing Sophie I stepped closer to the window and pressed my hand against the glass. The thunder roared so loud I could feel the world shake with its fury. "When a storm like this comes, it reminds me of home."

The heavy rain changed into hail that tinked against the cold glass, but I didn't remove my hand. The sound was so familiar that it actually made me turn around and smile at Sophie, and it took her a second to smile back.

Sometimes it felt like the sky was crying. A nice drizzle on those cloudy days that makes it feel like someone up above was mourning, those violent storms that remind you of the angriest tears you've ever cried, and the calm showers that end with a rainbow when you know every things going to be okay.

Storms were mother nature's emotions and you can't grift mother nature.

Moving over to Sophie again, I cuddled into her arms. She sighed as she held me, both of us looking out the window of my bedroom. When it stormed and I was somewhere, halfway across the country alone, I'd think of the Wizard of Oz. How all she had to do was click her heels and say "there's no place like home, there's no place like home".

There's no place like home.

"If I tell you something, will you promise not to laugh?" I whisper as the lightning lights up the room in a blue tint and Sophie yawned.

"Of course."

Taking another deep breath, I squeezed my eyes closed. "The last time I saw my mom, everyone said she was getting better. I _knew_ she was going to be okay… But then she just died. No one told me, no one said a word, they never even showed me where my mother was buried. It was just she was here one day and gone the next. Sometimes… Sometimes I don't think she's really gone at all."

Sophie tensed. I was scared to see her face.

"Anna," she said carefully.

Regretting, my words, I shook my head. "I know, it's stupid. But if my dad lied about you, why couldn't he have lied about Mom too?"

"Anna…"

I bit my lip before pulling away. "I know, it's stupid. Goodnight, Sophie." Leaning down, I kissed her cheek before heading for the living room couch.

I didn't cry. I loved my new family. I loved my new parents and my brothers and sister. I didn't care that they weren't really a blood related family because they were my family. Still, it's that little thought in the back of your mind that haunts you no matter how ridiculous it was.

Curling up on the couch, I pulled the blanket off the back and covered myself in it. But as I laid there, I couldn't grasp why Sophie didn't understand. She was my mother now.

Sophie watched as she left the room. A tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. Anna never meant for her to take it personally, but she did. In so many ways it hurt her, even scared her. She was trying so hard to understand that this wasn't about her and her skills, or lack thereof, of a mother.

What also really bothered her was if Anna honestly hoped her mother was still alive. She was just setting herself up for more pain. There's nothing worse than having hope in something that feels impossible. Especially when you're young.

*Anna*

Eliot was working with me. He pushed my elbows up higher and kicked my feet to widen my stance.

"You're small and fast. Your strength is using other people's strength," he told me, moving in front of me. "If you can avoid their hits, they'll tire. Pressure points are going to be your best friend."

I nodded again, ready. "Same thing as always. Let's go!"

Eliot nodded.

He moved toward me. Hard left swing to my jaw that narrowly grazed my skin as I gracefully ducked back and grinned at him. His eyes narrowed and he started moving faster. Two quick jabs to my right, a finishing swing, all of which I escaped.

I ducked right and landed a fist into his the area right underneath his ribs. His leg swept underneath, taking my feet out from under me. I landed hard on my back, my head bouncing against the floor of Nate's apartment.

Hardison, Nate, Parker, and Sophie all hissed as the tile echoed the sound of my skull colliding with it, but they all remained at the bar, half watching, half doing their own thing. Well, except for Parker. Parker was all into it.

Eliot on the other hand grinned. "Wanna keep going?" he asked offering me his hand.

I glared at him before wrapping my legs around one of his and send him down on the ground perpendicular to me. Doing a back roll, I straightened up. "Sure."

Eliot stood and nodded at me. Something told me he was proud.

The more intense the fight became, the more each member of the team watched. Finally, Sophie put an end to it when my nose and mouth were bleeding and my head bounced off the tile three more times.

"You've been practicing, haven't you?" Eliot asked as he pushed Nate's coffee table back into place and I held tissues to my nose.

"A little," I lied. A whole lot actually. When I had free time I was working on my balance and movement. My head was spinning, but I wasn't going to let Eliot know I hurt. He smiled at me as I forced a smile too.

"You all really need to lay some mats or something," Hardison muttered. "My head hurts from how many times her head bounced."

Eliot glared at him. "There's no safety mats in life."

The line actually made me laugh. Of course Eliot would use something like that. Hardison wasn't a fighter for a reason and Eliot understood that but Hardison needed to stick to his own specialties.

Parker on the other hand looked like she was upset she didn't get to fight too.

"When do I get to fight with you some more? Or can I fight Anna? I bet I could take Anna!"

Reaching out, Parker punched me hard in the arm. I groaned. That girl is terrible at remembering other people's pain which often left them, meaning me, in more.

Eliot shrugged. "I don't know, Anna actually works on it. Hell, if grifting doesn't work out-" Sophie shot Eliot a hard look. He shrugged. "If a girl Anna's size came up, no one would suspect her!"

"That's why she's a grifter," Sophie shot back as I curled up on the couch and reached for some Ibuprofen.

"Come one guys, I thought I was supposed to be a little of everything?" I teased. "Hell, how will I run my own team one day if I don't know how to do it all?"

Hardison looked at me. "I was planning on running a team and I already had you in it! Are you telling me that you ain't gunna be in my team when Sophie and Nate retire?"

Sophie shot Hardison a look. "What makes you think I'd retire?" she snapped.

Poor Hardison, his main problem was never knowing how to shut up. "I mean, you and Nate are both getting older."

Every person in the room silenced. Eliot held a small smirk knowing that Sophie very well may kill Hardison any second. Even Parker knew the boy had said something he shouldn't have.

"Older?" Sophie hissed.

Hardison suddenly realized what he had said and was searching for the right thing to say. "I mean, you don't have to retire, I mean Archie- Uh… You look good, Soph, real good."

Nate was watching from across the room, a safe distance away. Hardison on the other hand was still trying to get his foot out of his mouth.

"Uh… ya know. You're the best that means you can be griftin' for the next twenty-eh-forty years. Did I mention ya look good?"

"Hardison…" Sophie hissed taking a dangerous step toward him and flattening the collar of his shirt. "Keep your mouth shut."

Turning on her heels she walking back toward the kitchen where she and Nate exchanged a glance that, if I didn't know any better, I would say was playful. Hardison was still standing exactly where he stood where Sophie was fixing his collar.

"Yeah, ya no. It's cool. You're cool. I'm cool. We're cool." Sophie shot him a look, he took the hint. "Okay, shuttin up."

_**Sooo? Some sweet reviews and I'll try and post another chapter no later than Tuesday! You know I love all my readers! Love, Marilynn. **_


	30. The Carnival Job

_**Another chapter up! For all you following along with episodes, this is the carnival job! **_

Sophie, Nate, Eliot and I all sat in Nate's apartment while screen showed two men in front of a house. Sophie was sitting over the in desk screen while Nate stood in front of her.

"Ooh, nice house for a VP of Sales," Sophie commented.

Nate shrugged. "Yeah, well, a couple of years ago he spent a fortune in renovations. He's up to his hairline in debt."

John Connell comes out the front door after a contracter. I couldn't help but smile a bit. "His _receding_ hairline."

Eliot cracked a smile but the other two adults completely ignored me. We watched as the two men argued. Connell didn't care enough about code, he simply wanted what he wanted, but the contractor disagreed since it was his neck on the line.

Then a girl that looked a couple years younger than me appeared.

"_Hey Dad, can I use your computer to finish my George Washington report?"_ she asked him. He didn't look at her, or even acknowledge her presence. Instead he just kept arguing with the contractor.

"_That's his daughter Molly,"_ Hardison told us over the comms. He was parked down the road from the house in Lucille.

"_I'm not going to flat-out lie,"_ the contractor pressed, obviously tired of the same argument.

Molly swung in closer to her father. _"You know who would also never tell a lie? Cherry tree… ax… chop chop!"_

That at least gained a look from her father. All four of us cracked a smile at the girl. She was pleasant and a fair amount of witty.

"_Anyway, so, I can use your computer?" _she tried again.

Just then, a woman with a Russian accent called for her. Connell looked relieved. "Daria, where have you been?"

Nate nodded to the dark haired woman on the screen who was apologizing to Connel. "That's the nanny."

Molly seemed to have enough and storm back into the house. _"Forget it! I'll just be the only kid in school who has to use books!"_

Nate leaned against the table, holding his coffee mug with both hands now. "That's enough."

I looked at the screen for a moment. "Okay, so we've got the dad, the nanny, and the kid. How about the mom?"

Hardison was already searching. _"According to…"_

"Dead."

Everyone looked at Nate.

"_Yeah,"_ Hardison sounded just as shocked as the rest of us. _"She died a year ago. How did you…?"_

Nate looked calm, but his words didn't feel the same. "It's the way he looks at Molly. He loves her, but also, she reminds him of something that he's lost."

I heard the words he didn't say. It's the way he used to look at Maggie. By the look on Sophie's face, she had heard it too.

"Well, that explains his focus on the house. He's compensating for his loss by exerting power over his world," Sophie explained.

I nodded.

"Hardison, can you bring up the blueprint on the house?" Nate asked as I stood up and headed for the kitchen to get some tea.

"So, let's get on this. What's the plan, daddy-oh?" I asked with a little too much excitement, earning an odd look from the three adults. "What?"

"I think we're going to wait for an invitation," Nate replied.

I blinked at Nate as he walked away. "Why does he always do that?" I groaned. "Why can't he just tell us when he has planned now, instead of walking away all dramatically?"

Eliot patted my head as he and Sophie headed out the door. Sophie pulled me against her side and stole my mug of tea as we all moved out the door.

My hair was tied into a fishtail braid and wore skinny jeans with a black vested shirt. I was supposed to be playing a daughter to a architect with a little too much "vision". My job was to wait for Sophie and Nate to get invited in, then I was to befriend Molly and Eliot played security. I was pretty excited actually. Eliot and I were never paired together.

"Oh, Mr. Connell, this is my daughter Anna," Sophie added motioning to me as I smacked my gum.

I sarcastically raised an eyebrow at him. "Pleasure," I said coolly. "Dad said to ask you if I could go to the movies, so… can I?"

Nearly ignoring me, she moved toward the kitchen. "Later, dear, I'm working."

Mr. Connell pushed past me and followed after Sophie. Heaving a hard sigh, I headed out the door. Molly was sitting on the porch, swinging her dangling leg. That girl was a very unhappy kid. It was in every move she made, every look she gave, and every word she said.

I took a seat on the porch as well. "Hey."

"What do you do, sneak in?" Molly snapped, not even glancing toward me. "Another kid in the house? That hasn't happened in years."

"You're a pocket full of friggin' sunshine aren't ya?" I muttered crossing my arms and leaning against the beam. "I was just trying to be nice."

This time Molly did look at me. "I don't need your charity."

It took everything I had to not snap at her. "Hey, I'm stuck here, just like you. The least we can do it try and be friends."

Molly examined me for a long moment before shrugging. "Yeah, I guess. I'm Molly."

"Anna." We both looked out at the carnival below. It looked like a lot of fun. "Ever been?"

She shrugged. "Not in a long time. You?"

I thought for a moment. "I've been to a theme park, does that count?"

Molly turned to me and gave be a funny look, but then just shrugged. Without another word, I reached into my pocket and offered her a piece of gum. Somehow, in the real world of teenagers, that made us friends.

Eliot arrived a little while later while Molly and I were discussing books. Granted, I had little to no idea what books she was talking about until she picked up these odd Japanese comic books she called Manga. My taste in Sherlock Holmes and Nick and Nora was also seen as odd.

"I have _real_ comic books," I said flipping through the book as though it was the oddest thing I had ever seen. It was backward! I mean, how do you read a book where you turn the pages backward?

Molly laughed at me. "Like Wonder Woman?"

I looked at her slightly hurt. "And Captain America, the Black Widow, all of them. Don't knock 'em tell you try 'em."

She shoved another book my way. "Don't know 'em tell you try 'em."

Eliot walked up to us as we sat in the yard reading. "Hey, Molly, I'm Eliot. I'm supposed to-"

I glared up at him. "Kinda reading," I snapped as Molly laughed slightly. Ah, it was a nice feeling having a groupie.

There was a slight pause as I went back to reading my book. Truthfully, I didn't want to look up and see his face. "And who are you?"

Exhaling dramatically, I slammed my book closed. "Anna. My parents are the designers inside."

"So I'm watching the both of you?"

"Both of us are here right now," I shot back. "We're just reading."

Breaking open my book again, Eliot looked down at us. I could tell Molly was much more interested in his presence than I was, but then again I apparently had more social interaction than her. Granted most of the time I was socializing I was conning, but either way.

Eliot glanced out at the rides below. "Must be pretty cool living next to a carnival."

Molly scoffed. "Must be pretty cool being the security guy," she mocked. It took all I had to suppress my grin. This girl was actually pretty cool. For a moment Eliot looked lost for words. "Cleary you've never been to one. Every game is rigged."

Okay, a pessimistic kid, but I liked her.

Eliot raised a brow. "It's rigged."

She didn't take her eyes off the book. "It's a waste of time unless you cheat."

"Well, if you cheat, there's no satisfaction in winning."

Glancing behind Molly so she didn't see, I gave Eliot an odd look. Where the hell did he get this stuff?

"Cheating's the only way to get anything in life," she muttered. The grifter in me told me she didn't believe it her own words. Actually, she almost sounded pained by them. "It's my dad's philosophy. He believes that all of life is rigged, probably some twisted reaction to my mom dying."

That I could relate to. Each member of the team had lost at least one person in their life and each of us reacted to it differently, in fact we're still reacting to it. What actually made me more upset was the sound that she wanted to be okay with it.

"Too much, too soon? Sorry," she snapped sarcastically.

If it was just me, I would be able to react a lot smoother, but with Eliot there, I had to be careful how I reacted. Instead of actually saying something, I softened my body language and nudged her slightly.

"Dad's been all obsessed with this reconstruction thingy," she mumbled as though it was an apology. "My mom started it. It's like a shrine to her, or something. Anyway, the blogs say he's grieving."

"What do you think?" Eliot asked as I watched them both. Molly didn't make a lot of eye contact, but I could tell she was trying not to show how emotional she was feeling.

"I don't know…"

The three of us sat there in listening to the sounds of the carnival. Finally Eliot spoke. "You know, I know a way to beat these, uh, these games you think are rigged."

Molly scoffs at him. "Yeah? What?"

Eliot looks at her. "What do you think it is?" She laughed humorlessly, waiting for him to just tell her. "Hard work."

Both Molly and I stared at him. Seriously? Eliot Spencer sounded like a motivation cartoon.

"Was _Rudy_ on cable last night?" she asked actually laughing this time.

For a moment it looks like Eliot is going to snap a no, but he glances down. "Yeah…"

Molly and I both laughed. Poor Eliot, couldn't even come up with unique material. Little did Molly know, but I had something to play against Eliot in the future.

After getting some tips on the dark balloon game. He even popped one by throwing it backward over his shoulder with a mirror.

"Come on, you try," he told Molly. "Use the mirror."

Molly began to move in position but then thought twice about it. "Mirrors and I aren't exactly on speaking terms."

I looked up at her from my book. "Why's that?"

She glanced over at me, then back at the mirror. "I just don't like what I see."

For that moment, I thought back to what Nate had said. Maybe it even hurt Molly to look so much like her mother. As Molly moved away from the mirror, I looked into it. I hadn't thought about it in a long time, but I was beginning to look more and more like my mother. And it did hurt.

"Molly, come! Time for carnival!" Daria yelled from another room.

Molly groans and throws herself on the seat in the middle of the floor. "No thank you!"

Daria came walking in from the hallway. "Your father wants us out of way."

"Then Eliot and Anna can come," she insists, making me smile a little. As much as the girl had an attitude problem, I really liked her.

Eliot and Daria both shook their heads, stuttering no's. But I was all up for it. It would be awesome. "I have to ask my parents," I told her then headed to Sophie and Nate to ask permission. Perhaps this was the most normal thing I ever did in my life.

Sophie and Nate were whispering something in the hallway. I couldn't tell what they were talking about, but my only job was to keep Molly occupied. Other than that, I really had no part of the actual con.

I was trying to keep my excitement to a minimum as I grabbed Sophie's sleeve and looked between her and Nate. "May I _please _go to the carnival with Molly? And you should make Eliot go too!"

Sophie blinked at me then turned to Nate. "Sure?" she didn't seem as convinced at all. "Are you alright?"

I smiled and kissed her cheek, then moved to Nate. "Thanks guys!"

Molly met me at the door. "Hey! Mom said I can go!" I said happily. Molly high-fived me and followed Daria to the door. I looked up at Eliot. "They said you have to go too."

Eliot groaned but I grabbed his arm and smiled brightly heading to the car. Molly and I were laughing the entire way about nothing particular, but we were both just happy about getting out of the house. Just getting to be kids for a while.

"Eliot look!" I said holding up a kangaroo stuffed animal. "Think Mom will like it? Totally going to put it in her room."

Molly laughed as she held up her giraffe. "Thanks for all the tips. This is so much fun!"

He nodded at us, but stayed tuned into his comm. I had taken mine out and put it in my pocket a while ago. I looked up at Eliot. "How's Parker coming along?" I whispered as Molly played another game.

"She's arguing with a robot, by Sophie slapped the shit out of Nate," Eliot said grinning slightly. I grinned too.

Molly appeared beside me. "So who's Sophie, Nate, and Parker?" she asked seemingly irritated.

We both stared at her. "Come on, I'm not stupid. I hear you both talking about them. Are you some teenage security kid too?"

Eliot and I blinked. "They're with security," Eliot said pointing to his ear with the comm. "So is Anna."

Molly looked at me with hurt. "You're just some security kid?"

I blinked. "No! Well- yeah- but I really want to be your friend."

Molly glared at me then stomped off. I glared at Eliot then hurried on after her. "Wait! Molly!" I called after her, finally catching up with her. "Molly," I panted spinning her to face me. "Molly, please, I'm not just here to be your security, I really do want to be your friend."

She snarled at me. "Like I said before, I don't need your charity."

Just as she went to stomp off again, I grabbed her by the arm. "Yeah, but maybe I need yours." Looking up at the Farris wheel, I sighed. "Do you think I have many friends? My mother designs houses with my dad and all I'm the freak that gets put on security. Tell me, does that sound like I'll be winning any popularity contests?"

Molly wasn't sold.

As she turned and headed away, I grabbed her arm again. "I know what it's like to lose your mother! I know what it's like to see her in the mirror, I know what it's like to want to be like to feel like you're not wanted."

This got her attention. "How would you know?" she snapped, angry tears forming in her eyes. "You have parents. _Two_ parents."

"Two _adopted_ parents!" I snapped. "My dad didn't even bother to keep me around after she died. I _know_ what it's like."

Molly looked like she was about to cry. Putting both hands on her shoulders, I smiled at her. It was that smile that was shared by two people has suffered the same pain. Molly quickly wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry, really."

I pulled her into a hug and smiled. "It's cool."

We both laughed awkwardly as we broke apart. "So, can I see one of your earbud things?" she asked raising one of her eyebrows.

I nodded and reached into my pocket for a spare. "Just, don't put it in until I tell you. Security can be kinda confidential."

She nodded. I could see Daria running up behind us when suddenly someone grabbed Molly. It happened so fast that I could even tell who grabbed her. I reached into my pocket and pulled the comm out of my ear as I took off after the screaming Molly. She was kicking and swinging.

"They took Molly!" I yelled desperately, struggling to push past the flow of people after them.

"_Who?" _Eliot demanded as I continued to shuffle around.

"I see one man. Five ten. Two hundred pounds. Shoulder length blond-" I thought back to the moment she was taken. What did I see? What did I hear? "Russian! They're Russian!"

"_Okay, Anna, get out of there and meet Eliot," _Nate commanded.

"No! I have to keep them-" Something smashed into my gut. I grunted and stumbled backward. "Son of a bitch."

Before I could get up right, a hand went around my stomach and started dragging me behind a tent.

"_Anna, get out of there now!" _Nate said, even more urgently.

Throwing my head back, I felt the man's nose crack against my skull and was immediately dropped. My legs pumped against the sidewalk, dodging between people, cutting through stands. My heart was racing.

"_Are you listening Anna?"_Nate snapped again.

Suddenly I crashed into the large body of Eliot Spencer. "She's good Nate." He laid his hand on my head but quickly took it away. "Are you bleeding?" he asked, the concern registering in his tone.

"Nope, someone else is though," I panted, grinning slightly.

Eliot smiled and patted my shoulder.

Sophie's voice was soft. _"Nate…"_

"_No, this can't be an abduction. This is K&R. The Russian buyer, they want the chip. We are on a reset. Our main objective is the girl. We find her, bring her back safe. We lose the chip if we have to. We burn Connell if we have to. Anyone have a problem, speak now."_

We all stayed silent. Eliot and I were moving around the carnival, scanning the surrounding.

"_Hardison, the carnival is covered in cameras. I'll need a map."_

"_I'm on it."_

"_Eliot, we're gonna need to know if anyone has left the carnival. Anna, keep close to Eliot until we get there. Be an extra set of eyes and ears. _Not_ of fists. These are Russians. I need to know if anyone had left the carnival."_

Eliot and I exchanged looks as we continued forward. _"Forty seconds from the main entrance. Nate, if I'm engaged…"_

Perhaps the scariest words I have ever heard come out of Nate's mouth, were said in that moment. _"Do your worst."_

_**Do you think Anna will obey Nate's orders? What do you think of the friendship between Molly and Anna? Please review. I'd very much appreciate it. **_


	31. A Time to Fight

_**What can I say? I've been on a roll lately. Lol. **_

Eliot looked at me and motioned for me to remove my ear bud. He did the same. "I know what Nate said and I know Sophie will kill me for saying this, but if something happens don't hold back. Fight like you've never fought before. Fight for your life." He looked down at me for a long moment. "Do you understand?"

I nodded and swallowed hard. How do you pretend you're not scared at that moment? Not only for your life, but for a new friend's life, perhaps even for Eliot's life. Eliot was asking for my help.

Following his lead, I slipped my comm back in my ear.

"I've got no intel here, guys. Tell me you have something," Eliod demanded as we stood at the entrance.

"_Eliot? Anna?" _Mollie whispered softly.

"Molly?" Eliot looked at me, but there was no need to explain. "Where are you?"

"_I don't know,"_ she whispered. I could hear her voice shaking. _"It's dark. I can't see anything. Eliot, I'm scared."_

"All right, listen, you're gonna be fine, okay?" This is, this is just a drill. Like a fire drill, you have those at school right?" Eliot tried to sound calm as I scanned the surroundings.

"_If I promise not to cry, will you just tell me the truth?"_She sounded tough. It made me feel a little bit better to know she was staying strong.

Taking a deep breath, I searched for gentle words. "Okay, Molly, everything will be okay. Eliot and I are going to take care of you, but this is not a drill. These guys that took you are very bad guys, alright? But we're going to get you safe, do you understand me?"

"_Yeah,"_ she replied in a frightened breath.

"Molly, we're going to need your help," Eliot told her as I scanned my surrounding.

"_What do I have to do?"_

"I need you to use your ears. All right? I need you to listen harder than you've ever listened in your entire life, and I need you to tell me exactly what you hear."

There was a long pause. Everyone was listening for her reply. _"Music, and the sound from the spider ride."_

I looked up at Eliot. "I know where she is," I told him taking off in the direction, but before I could get far he grabbed my arm.

"No. They could open fire opened and hurt more innocent people. We have to clear everyone else out of the carnival," Eliot told me.

I glared at him. "I can get her out. Stealth and speed. I can do it."

"_We're not risking it Anna," _Nate commanded. I was really getting tired of biting my tongue. _"Hardison, help them out."_

"_Anna, I need you to find the janitor's closet, where they keep the supplies," _Hardison told me.

"I know where it is. Tell me what I need," I took off running for the janitor closet.

Sophie unrolled the map searched the map. She felt Nate over her shoulder, also looking at the map. "Based on what Molly hears and the location of the spider, she is here." She pointed at a building. "Eliot, northeast corner."

"_Got it."_

Nate and Sophie kept looking at the map. There was a bad feeling boiling in the bottom of her gut, same with Nate. They knew Anna would do what she thought was necessary eventually, and though it may be necessary, Anna could get hurt.

"Okay, that's where the meet will be," Nate said as Sophie bit the inside of her lip and pointed at something else on the map.

"Nate, I'm only saying this 'cause they're Russian. Ferris wheel."

"Maybe they got a bird's-eye view of the entire carnival…" The wheels were turning in Nate's head. That complicated things a bit.

Connell wasn't used to having to think like a criminal. "What does that mean?"

"It means they can post a sniper."

Which meant they were really going to have to watch themselves and choose their locations carefully. Sophie bit her cheek as she followed Nate out to the car, leaving Connel behind at the house.

Nate could feel Sophie's panic, even though her layers of control. He understood it too. Anna had dangerous amount of teenage impulse, raw talent, skill, and a little too much emotion sometimes. This made for a loose cannon at times. Still, even anyone could predict a loose cannon, it would be Nate. Especially if that cannon was Anna.

*Anna*

"Okay, I've got the stuff," I told them, carrying several containers of chemicals.

"_Okay, find the hottest liquid that's not water, mix it, and run like hell."_

I nodded and headed for the funnel cake and fry area. As fast as I could, I dumped the orange, blue and green liquids into the deep fryers. I was halfway done pouring the last container when all of a sudden there was a hot explosion of smoke.

My eyes burned as I searched for the doorknob through the thick fog and started cough. "Dammit Hardison!" I growled finally finding the door. "Next time tell me what the hell's gunna happen."

"_I said run like hell."_

Rolling my eyes, I followed the flow of people as a recording of Hardison played over the loud speaker. Eliot smirked at me as I continued to cough and stumble toward him. "Now you know how I feel all the time," he commented.

All I managed to do was growl in response.

I followed the flow of people toward the gate as Eliot stayed behind, keeping an eye out for any escaping Russians. The moment I saw Sophie and Nate I ran toward them, and was quickly greeted with a hug.

Sophie held me for a few long moments before scanning me over and releasing me. The three of us stood at the exit of the carnival waiting for the remaining members of the team. Hardison was the first to appear, his hoody pulled up over his head, rubbing his hands together from the chill of the wind.

"After I made the recording, I called the police and fire, and told them it was a false alarm," he informed the team as people continued exiting the park, all coughing.

"Nice work," Nate commented. "Really nice."

"Hey!"

We all turned around to see John Connell running toward us. This one was something Sophie was to handle. She ran toward him, trying to figure out a way to calm him when she wasn't all that calm herself. I had a feeling this is why Sophie never had children of her own, they tended to complicate things when business became shady.

"No, Mr. Connell, please, stay back here with me," Sophie tried, looking him square in the eye and trying to keep herself between him and the gate.

"She's my daughter, I'm going," he said defiantly, nearly pushing Sophie out of the way. Nate cut him off before he got far.

"No, no, no, you're not."

Mr. Connell looked at Nate desperately. There were tears building in his eyes as his voice shook with emotion. "Please, she needs me. I haven't- I haven't been there for her. When I lost my wife, I forgot that Molly lost her mother too, so… when she needed me the…" His lips formed a thin line as he bit back tears. "Please, she's all that I have."

Parker appeared from behind him, watching him as closely as the rest of us were.

"No, I'm all that she has, and I've lost everything," he finished, his voice cracking.

Nate glanced back at the nearly completely empty carnival now. "Not yet, you haven't. She needs you to stay here. We're gonna go and get her." Nate turned around and we all followed.

Eliot met us just around the corner. "I'm coming for you Molly. Stay small and quiet and if I say 'run,' you run."

"_Okay…"_ She whispered. My heart broke for her.

"Molly, you're going to be alright. I promise, do you understand me?" I told her.

"_I understand…"_

I looked at Sophie for help, but all she did was lay a comforting hand on my back. We all knew this wasn't going to be easy. Russians are brutal. Hardison disappeared to the security shed, while Eliot and I stuck together, much to Nate and Sophie's displeasure.

"_Anna, Eliot, heads-up. You got a little trouble-"_

Eliot just walked straight up to the guy and punched him. He flew backwards into the ring toss.

"_Wow, damn, what the hell was that?"_

I could help but smirk. "A little trouble." As serious as the situation was, pissed off Eliot was always my favorite. Well, as long as he wasn't pissed off at me.

Eliot pointed to a man wearing a silver chain around his neck with a black jacket. Nodding, I cut around the side of the ride and let Eliot handle him while I searched for where they were holding Molly.

I broke into a run around a corner, catching a hard fist to left side of my jaw completely knocking me backward.

Scurrying to keep my balance, the same man that originally grabbed Molly still held her. His arm was around her neck as he dragged her away. I would have gone after her, if it wasn't for the other guy standing there, ready to fight.

"You know, you could very easily just pretend you never saw me, walk the other way and let me go get Molly," I told him, rubbing the side of my jaw.

The Russian man just smiled at me. "You know I can't do that," he replied grabbing my wrist. "In fact, two hostages are better than one."

I looked down at his hand on my wrist, and then grinned up at him. Securing my hand on the other side of his elbow, I flipped him over my body and listened to the sound of his body crashing against the solid ground.

He recovered quickly, but I was ready. My knee collided with the bottom of his chin, but he still was able to grab hold of my other leg and send me to the ground as well. My elbows caught most of the weight.

My elbows kept most of my body up as I kicked at him again, pushing his body far enough away for me to scurry to my feet. Before I could position myself, I saw the black metal of a gun.

Eliot never really got a chance to teach me how to fight someone with a gun, but the goal at the moment was to not get shot. And if that goal failed, hell, I'd at least like to live.

"Woah boy," I teased, cracking smile and raising my hands in defeat. "Guns are kinda messy. Definitely more likely to get caught with a gun than fighting. I mean, murder, not a good thing."

The man held the gun pointed at my chest, but I didn't flinch. "You are a very mouthy little girl. Now, we can do this one of two ways." I raised my eyebrow.

"I don't like negotiating with a gun in my face."

"_Anna, shut up and quit mouthing off,"_ Nate snapped as I continued to smile at the man in front of me. _"You're going to get yourself killed."_

"You won't hurt me. You don't have permission," I pressed, taking a daring step toward him. "So put the gun down and let's talk."

"I don't need anyone's permission." He cocked the gun and smiled at me. "You are more trouble than you're worth."

"You may need mine," I growled, feeling my inner Eliot Spencer get really pissed off.

I grabbed the man's wrist and pushed it away from my body. I felt it go off and send both my hand and his up higher than I wanted it to. It was becoming more difficult for me to keep the gun pointed away from me. The gun went off again. And again and again.

Finally, I pulled the gun down and forced my knee into his groin. His knees went out. With my final act of desperation, I landed my elbow into the side of his head. The grip on the gun was gone from both of us and it hit the ground.

The fear had finally caught up with me as I scrambled to get the gun further away. The base of my foot slammed into the guy's throat and I finished by a finishing blow to his head. He fell to the ground, officially out for the count.

Picking the gun up off the ground, I held it tight before pulling the clip out of the gun and unloading it.

I looked up at the Ferris wheel to see Parker holding a sniper rifle with a man duct tape bond beside her.

Eliot was laying unconscious, the spider ride still spinning madly. I ran over to him and knelt beside him, patting his cheek.

"Come on, wake up Eliot," I muttered as I kept patting his cheek. My breathing was hard and the longer I was bent over, the worse it became. "Eliot Spencer! Get up!" He barely stirred. "Molly? You there?"

There was a light hum, telling me she was listening, but wasn't able to speak freely at the moment.

"_Molly, my name's Sophie. I'm looking out for you. Everything's going to be fine, Molly. You're father is here with me."_

Molly stayed quiet. She obviously wasn't sure who to trust. Eliot finally started to come to and I helped him sit up. His pupils were dilated and he looked groggy. Concussion. No doubt about it. Giving him a few moments to recoup, I collapsed to the ground and propped myself up against the metal lift of the ride.

The pain from the fight was finally starting to really catch up with me.

"_Molly, can you hear me? Anna? Are you there?"_

I kept panting. "Still… breathing…" I could tell that that didn't really make her feel any better.

Sophie took a long breath. _"Molly, my team and I are going to be sure nothing happens to you."_

Molly still didn't reply. "Molly," I said taking another deep breath, trying to calm my breathing. "Molly, listen to Sophie. We're all going to get you out of here."

There was a small hum again.

Eliot began to get to his feet. I helped steady him.

"_You're gonna be in big trouble when they find me…"_ Mollie growled over the com. Eliot and I both froze. We needed her help in order to get her out safely.

"Molly-"

"_You're gonna regret this," _she snapped again. I had to admit, the girl had guts, then again I was just smarting off to a guy with a gun. Maybe what we had wasn't guts…

"Molly, I'm here," Eliot told her as we searched the area again. "Give me a clue."

"_I don't like what I see!" _she exclaimed in a shaky voice. Eliot and I both exchanged looks. The house of mirrors!

We took off running. "Nate, we know where she's at. We're gonna go get her," Eliot told him, pulling off the security jacket. His face was bleeding even more now.

"_No, Daria's got the chip. We gotta just wait-"_

"I don't want to wait," Eliot growled. "We're coming for you, Molly."

Eliot looked down at me as we neared the tent. "You are to get Molly and get out. You will not wait for me, or fight, do you understand me?"

There was no point in arguing. Once again, I bit my tongue and nodded. Eliot pushed through the fabric and took the lead. Never in my life had I been so nervous seeing my own reflection in the mirror, up until I saw someone else's.

Eliot swung out of reflex, smashing and shattering the mirror. "Roper…" he grumbled. I blinked at him. He knew this guy?

Suddenly a guy came out from behind us and nailed me in the back of the head, sending me into the glass. My head was spinning. I could hear Eliot grunting as I tried to get back on my feet. Something hit me in the stomach again, sending to down on my side.

My eyes watered as I rolled over in pain. I knew I had to get to my feet fast. I could hear glass crunching as some moved near me again. I back rolled onto my feet and caught the guy by throat. When my vision cleared, I saw that this was the guy that I broke his nose. Smiling a little, I punched him in the face again before turning him around and getting him in a tight sleeper hold.

As he fell to the ground, I kept moving. Ignoring the grunts of Eliot's fighting. My hands and face were bleeding, but I had to get to Molly.

Suddenly, I felt a hand grab my forearm. I spun around, ready for another fight, only to see Molly, helping steady me. She gave me a half hearted grin another mirror shattered. Both of us turned to see Eliot, even more unsteady than me.

"You two okay?" he asked panting hard. His face was bleeding. He looked worse than I ever seen him.

We both nodded.

"Good. Care to give me a hand?"

We all three walked out of there, each having an arm around Eliot, making sure he was steady. The moment Molly saw her father she ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck and crying into his shoulder.

Eliot looked down at me and we shared a small smile that was only partly a grimace. We continued toward Nate.

He looked down at me, then glanced at Sophie who was several yard away, still standing by the gate. "You don't listen very well."

I licked some of the blood on my lip. "Nope."

As we neared the gate, Nate took my hands and turned them palms up. Blood was still oozing from my wrists and palms. My shirt sleeves were torn as well. Sophie was not going to be happy about any of it.

"At least you won't need stitches. But we're going to have fun with the peroxide and tweezers," Sophie groaned as she appeared at my side.

"What about him?" I asked her, looking over at limping Eliot.

Sophie raised her eyebrow at him, but he just shrugged. "I'll be taken care of."

Later that evening, Sophie had brushed all the glass out of my hair while Nate and Hardison peroxide and tweeze the glass out of my skin before we all returned to the bar. Apparently today's events landed everyone in need of a drink.

My hands and wrists bandaged nearly half up my arms and Eliot looked like hell. He kept his hood pulled up just so fewer people would notice how beat up his face was.

Sophie kept looking through my hair, just in case she missed any more glass. She sighed in exasperation. "I'm not going to lecture you, but you could have been really hurt."

"When she says hurt, she means dead. Really dead," Hardison clarified earning a hard look from Sophie but a nod from Nate.

"Thanks…" I muttered looking at my hands. It may be a while before I play my cello again, but I could at least continue with my piano. I was also pretty happy I could wear long sleeves.

Nate looked at me, then at Sophie. They shared a long look, making Sophie's cheek flush before she grabbed her wine and took another long drink. I chose to not ask questions, they knew each other better than anyone else and I wasn't going to try and interpret anything when my head was still throbbing.

Finally, the nerdy guy appeared for his chip. It actually surprised me it took this long for him to get here.

Holding the chip in his hand as though it held some sort of magical power, Sophie, Nate and I followed him to the door. "I can't thank you enough. This is my life. And it sounds like Connell's turned over a new leaf."

Sophie shrugged and put an arm around my shoulders. "I wouldn't say 'turned over a new leaf' so much as-"

"Well, you know, sometimes when you lose something that's important, something that canters you, something that you feel you can't live without, you lose how to live," Nate finished for her glancing at the two of us.

Sophie gave him a comforting smile, but I had a feeling he was talking about more than Sam. I think it began with Sam, but the team has somehow fixed that. But if the team was to one day no longer exist, all of us may have to learn how terrible the feeling was to lose how to live.

"Like my chip!" the man said holding up his chip with pride and heading back out the door.

Sophie stared at him as though to ask if he was serious, but I wasn't sure if I should pity him or just be happy the poor little guy had something.

As we walked back to the table, Hardison looked at us. "Well, it sounds like Molly and her sad are doing okay."

"Yeah, she e-mailed me and told me that he's taking her to some sort of Manga convention later this month," I told them. Suddenly my cheeks flushed. "It is okay that she has my e-mail right?"

Hardison looked at Nate who nodded.

"They're making up for lost time," Eliot said softly.

We all looked at how bad of shape he was in at the moment. "Hey, man, you really should have let us get you to a hospital."

A small smile cracked at his lips. "I hired a nurse."

Parker grinned. "Ah, that a boy, a little chicken noodle soup-" _punch_ "- a little grandmotherly love-" _punch._

"Stop," Eliot growled rubbing his arm where Parker kept hitting him. I couldn't help but laugh softly. Typical Parker.

Suddenly Eliot stood and greeted a blond, busty woman in a tight pencil skirt. Every man in the room had seen her walk in. "This is nurse Gail," he introduced, not even giving us enough time to reply.

Hardison raised a brow. "I don't think she's registered."

Sophie and Nate both smiled a little, those knowing smiles adults sometimes shared. I scooted into the booth next to Hardison.

"You doing okay?" Sophie asked Nate. Her voice was soft and tender.

"Always," he replied in a surprisingly optimistic tone. There smile went on a little longer before Nate looked over his shoulder to the rest of us. "How you two doing with your little mini-Parker?"

Hardison threw his hands up in frustration while Parker glared at him. Suddenly I was very interested. "Mini Parker?"

"I can't believe you brought her here, by the way," she snarled.

Hardison had enough. "Okay, you know what? Look." A little green robot frog was placed on the table.

"Oh my gosh! It's so cute!" I said reaching out to pet it, but was slapped by Parker. I groan in pain, even the other three hissed as she slapped my bandages again. Quickly I pulled my hands away and glared at her.

"Don't touch her! She's trying to replace me," Parker scowled as I tried to rub away the stinging in my arms.

"Frankly, I'd take her right now, at least she won't hit me…" I muttered bitterly.

Hardison jumped in before another argument could blow up. "You want to know why I made it green? Because your favorite color is green. You want to know what I named her after you? It's because she's based off of you. Parker, that's why I was always asking you what you were thinking and what you were thinking. Everything she knows, she leaned off of you."

Taking a deep breath, Hardison looked at her intently. "I didn't make her to replace you. I'd never want to replace you. She's… she's for you…"

Parker looked at the green robot and suddenly turned affectionate. "I love it!" she laughed and pulled it into her arms.

Hardison blinked. "Really?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna call her Hardy."

"Ok. No. Um. It's Parker 2000."

I sighed and shook my head and moved toward Nate and Sophie. "So, can we go to the carnival tomorrow?"

They both stared at me. "You want to go back?" Sophie blinked.

"I didn't get to ride any rides," I reminded her. They just stared at me.

"No."

I blinked. "Please?"

"No."

"Can I at least drive home?"

"No!"

_**So! Let's start a poll! What should kinda car should Anna get? She's going to eventually need one right? What do you think will match her personality best? Please review! Love always, Marilynn.**_


	32. Thoughts

_**Some emotion in this chapter, but I'd like to know what you think. **_

Sophie had gotten bored of her Cadillac and somehow convinced Nate to go car shopping with her to a luxury car lot. Needless to say, it didn't take long for Sophie to pick herself out a brand new Porsche (which she bought for a steal), Nate was definitely ready to get out of there to get dinner.

She was pushed into the elevator wall of her apartment building and kissed senseless. Her head was spinning when Nate finally pulled away and moved to her neck. Her hips rolled into his and they both moaned.

"Where's Anna?" he asked as she fumbled for her key and his lips continued a trail down her neck.

"With Parker…" she whispered, having difficulty concentrating. Finally turning the doorknob, Sophie grabbed Nate's shirt and drug him through the entrance, her lips never leaving his. She was tugging at the buttons when he pulled away for a split second.

"Parker?" he barely got out before attacking him lips again.

"I told Eliot to keep tabs while we went car shopping," she groaned. She was getting really irritated. She had taken care of everything. Could they please get back to business?

Nate seemed to take that answer easier and they struggled down the hallway, losing their clothing piece by piece down the hallway. Sophie grinned mischievously as she broke off their kiss as Nate stood there in front of the bed, now only in his pants. Her steps were hypnotizing as she moved toward him, pushing him down on the bed and kneeling over him. Slowly, she kissed him as they moved back toward the head of her bed. She broke away, each time meeting his eyes, making him lose himself to her power.

Finally her lips met his again and he could feel her smiling. "This is fun, isn't it?" she whispered purposely dragging her nails over his chest. He moaned and his hip bucked into hers. She took that as a yes.

Later they lay on the bed, the comforter on the floor along with every pillow and blanket. Only a sheet that they retrieved from the ground covered them as he traced circles on her back. They both were silent, comfortable, but silent. Their thoughts running in circles.

Sophie glanced up at Nate. "How long does it normally take to buy a car?" she asked beginning to worry that the group would realize they had been gone a while.

Nate didn't even look at her, just continued to trace circles aimlessly on her bare back. "With the way you shop?"

Sophie shrugged and went back to lying comfortably on his chest. "Good point."

*Anna*

Parker and my days together were rare. Mostly because no one really trusted us when we were together. That was why we were stuck with two babysitters. Originally, only Eliot was suppose to keep an eye us, but Hardison felt left out.

After nearly an hour of arguing, somehow we ended up at the arcade just a couple blocks away from Sophie's apartment. Pinball was my game of choice while Parker played on one of those motorcycle simulators and Eliot kept kicking Hardison's ass at ski ball.

As the pinball machine chimed and flashed _NEW HIGH SCORE_ on the screen above it.

"Good thing you don't come here too often, or my name would never stay on that board." I jumped around to see a tall boy with copper brown hair and a playful grin. He was quite a bit taller than me and had these gorgeous big green eyes. "You don't come here often, do you?" he asked, this time not sounding as sure.

"Once in a blue moon," I replied, my southern charm already trying to come out. Slowly I turned around and put in the letters ANC. Anna Nicole Clive, my most common alias. "I take it you're a regular," I said not even glancing at him, but playing my flirtatious game.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him shrug. "Kinda, I work here." Before I could get out a quarter for another game, the boy put on in for me. When I looked up at him he smiled. "You're not from around here are you? You sound… country."

My cheeks heated up. Not many people called me out on my accent, probably because if I wasn't with the team, I covered it. But the way he said it, it sounded like a compliment.

"I'm from a little bit of everywhere," I replied clearing my throat and trying to rid myself of the marker as the pin shot through the machine, making it light up.

But he smiled again. "But you're here now?" Bending down, he popped a quarter beside me as well. "Boston's an odd place to end up."

His machine chimed on and I could feel Eliot watching us. As usual, he was on red alert, ready to take down anyone that stood as a threat. A teenage boy was plenty threatening enough, especially with my history.

I stole a glance over to the hitter, to see him standing with his arms crossed, completely ignoring Hardison's complaints. Just as I did though, I heard the downward spiral of notes, telling me I lost my ball.

My eyes shot back to the glass box and I frowned. "Damn…" I muttered, not used to losing so early in on the game.

"I must be your bad luck charm," he joked smiling at me sweetly. A moment later his machine made the same noise. He also frowned. "Not that you're bringing me any luck either." He turned toward me and offered me his hand. "I'm Aaron, by the way."

I looked at him, a mischievous smile holding on my lips. "My mother always told me not to talk to strangers."

Something in his eyes made me like him as he shrugged. "The lets not be strangers. Let's be friends."

He kept his hand out, and after a moment, I finally accepted it. "Anna."

For a moment he seemed to take that in. "Anna. I like it. It suits you."

I almost made the comment that any name could suit me, it's all about the way you say them, the way you portray them. But he was just a normal teenage boy.

"So, where do you go to school?" he asked, offering me another quarter. "St. Claires? You look like a St. Claires girl."

I politely refused the coin. "Nope, home schooled. My parents travel too much for me to stay at a school. What about you?" I asked giving him a once over as he turned back to his fame. Just underneath the neckline of his t-shirt, I could see the ink of a tattoo. A spider web maybe? His body was a muscular medium build, and his ear was pierced.

"You live around here though?"

"A couple blocks away."

It didn't take him long to lose again. "Let me guess, pinball really isn't your game, now is it?" I teased already knowing the answer.

His cheeks lit up. "Okay, you caught me. But I play a mean Galaga. Anything with a space shooter."

It was something about his slight nerdiness mixed with almost a bad boy persona that made me find him so interesting. After a moment of silence, his cheeks flushed again.

"Anyway," he walked across the room to the cash register and pulled out a card. Turning it over he wrote something on the back. "My name and number. In case you want some tips on space shooter tips. Or want to give me some on pinball."

Glancing back I noticed Eliot was still listening, just not quite as obviously. Of course, I didn't care. The boy was offering me his number, I was going to take it.

Just as I was about to add to our flirtatious banter, Eliot cleared his throat. It was time to go.

I gave Aaron one last smile. "Thanks, see ya around."

With that, I walked toward the door where the others were waiting for me. I wasn't really sure where that came from, but I really didn't care either. I was going to have fun, and that was that. Still, as I walked out that door, I slid the card in my pocket and smiled. Little things made me feel so normal.

Sophie and Nate pulled up in front of the bar in the new Porsche. Leaning into the window of the car I grinned at her. "You know, you own a lot of stuff in black," I teased.

"I thought you and Parker were going to go jump off buildings or something," she shot back as she turned off the car.

"We would have, if it wasn't for the fact Eliot told us no. So we went to the arcade instead," I told her as Nate rolled up the window and stepped out.

Sophie rounded the car and gave me an odd look. "Something tells me there's more."

Quickly reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the card that was given to me earlier. Nate didn't look all that pleased, but Sophie did. "That's my girl. Are you going to call him?"

That surprised me actually. I blinked at her and took a step out of Nate's way. "You want me to?" Suddenly I was five asking if I did something wrong.

My tone struck a chord of concern in Sophie. She looked at me, really looked at me. "If you want." Taking a step closer to me, she glanced at Nate. The hint was taken and he quickly excused himself into the bar. "Anna, what wrong?" she asked placing her hands on my forearms.

It was almost as thought I didn't know how much I was holding back until I was being asked to let it out. She looked down at me for a long moment until I couldn't hold her gaze anymore.

"I just don't know if I want to be alone with him," I muttered honestly.

There was a long moment of silence as I felt her study me. "Not every guy is like Jonah," she said softly.

"Or Jason James?" I snapped.

Sophie gave me a quizzical look. Then her facial expression changed again, remembering my second job with them, the stairs, all of it. Still, she wasn't putting it all together.

"Or the guards at the Arabian airport, or the thief in Italy, or the-"

The grip Sophie had on my arms tightened, and I silenced. Her dark brown eyes were sad as she pushed my hair from my eyes. "I'm going to tell you something, and I want you to understand." She took a deep breath and shook her head slightly. "In our line of work, it happens. The younger you start, the more it happens."

Sophie searched my face for emotion, but when she found none she let go of me. "I'm not making an excuse, but each one of use has dealt with our demons, and deal with them still in our own way. We just want to help you learn to deal with yours."

As Sophie walked toward the bar, I stood there in the parking lot. There was that feeling again. The one that made me want to jump.

Sophie walked inside and took a seat next to Nate. She was lost in her own thoughts, worried about that girl she left outside. Still, Anna seemed to need space at the moment and there was nothing more damaging than suffocating a person.

Still, she needed something to help her get through this. Help her heal.

Finally, Sophie turned to Nate. "We're getting Anna a dog."

_**Okay, here's your choices on cars. Since Anna needs something fast, maneuverable, yet blendable:**_

_**Ford Mustang**_

_**Chevy Camaro **_

_**Dodge Charger**_

_**Honda CRV**_

_**Mazda 3**_

_**This may make the tally a bit easier on my part. The little eco friends cars were a good idea, but she needs something she can race with. (Yes, that is a hint.) As always, reviews are super appreciated! **_


	33. Phantom

_**Just wanted to let you know, as a driver of a Mustang with the pony package I was really rooting to give Anna one to match my own. **_

Nate blinked at her. "A dog?"

She nodded.

"Why a dog?"

Sophie exhaled and looked at him. "I honestly think it will be good for her." Nate just kept staring at her. "Come on, the girl needs a real friend. Not to mention, she can feel a little safer with a dog following her around."

"She has Eliot, she should feel safe already." Nate shrugged and took a drink of his coffee.

Any other time, any other person, Sophie would agree. But there was a difference between should and is. In all logic, Eliot would kill anyone who hurt Anna, but she wouldn't let him. With Eliot and the others, Anna wanted to be somewhat equal. A dog would give Anna a friend and help her feel safe.

"Nate, you know that a good dog would help Anna. But not a puppy, I'm not going through the potty training bit."

For a long moment, Nate sat there weighing whether or not getting Anna a dog would be the right thing. Dogs took time and responsibility and they were always traveling, but the kid has had it rough for the last few months. Between her father, losing her horse, and Jonah, may the girl deserved some sort of treat.

Nate laid his coffee on the counter and looked at Sophie. "Okay, a dog would be beneficial to her, but I was also thinking that she may need a car."

"Let's just spoil the girl, why don't we?" Sophie laughed half heartedly. "A car and a dog?"

"Well, you're not going to let her drive your new car, are you? And she surely isn't driving mine." Of course Anna would never end up driving Nate's car. Something about men and their cars, never to be touched by women.

Sophie thought for a moment. "Fine."

Parker sat down beside Sophie, followed by Eliot and Hardison. "Fine what?" she asked, munching on dry cereal.

"Anna's getting a car…" Sophie told them, sounding not so enthused.

"And a dog," Nate added, sounding equally unenthused.

The other three members glance at each other. "You know you can say no right? She's a kid and considering what kind of kid she is, she's probably take it pretty well," Hardison said looking at the oldest members of the team like they were off their rockers.

"The dog was my idea," Sophie clarified. "I thought it would help Anna feel safe and have a friend. Nate thinks the kid needs a car too though."

"A dog?" Parker chirped bouncing happily. "We should get two dogs! Then have puppies!"

It was times like these that Sophie honestly wasn't sure if Parker was an adult at all. "Parker, no one's having puppies."

Eliot shrugged. "A dog doesn't sound like such a bad idea, if fact I think I may know one."

"And the car?" Nate asked. There was no need to look, he could feel Sophie's glare. Playing her own card against her, he slid his hand onto her thigh under the table, completely unseen by everyone.

Hardison already had his laptop out on the table and was typing away. "Something fast, not super noticeable, classy…"

"Safe!" Nate and Sophie both added at the same time.

"And something that will fit her. Sporty, American made," Eliot added.

"Tinted windows, fair amount of truck space. Something that can take corners well. Low to the ground, did we already say fast?" Parker continued.

"Okay, how about a Camaro?" Hardison asked not looking up from the screen.

Eliot and Nate looked at each other. "Nearest dealer. I'm looking for an ZL1, no convertible," Nate went on.

Finally, the image of a car appeared on the screen and Hardison turned it around for the others to see. Nate and Eliot whistled, Parker grinned, but Sophie just shrugged. "That'll do."

THREE DAYS LATER

*Anna*

I was sitting in the living room of Sophie's apartment, waiting for her and Nate to get back from dinner. Eliot was busy, Hardison was working on the coms since Sophie's shocked her in the ear last job, and Parker wasn't answering her phone.

So, I was stuck, bored, in Sophie's apartment. At least I had videogames to play.

Suddenly the door flew open and Parker beamed at me. "Let's go Anna!"

Before I had a chance to ask questions, Parker grabbed my arm and drug me through the door, not even caring when I nearly fell on my face on the way down the steps. I couldn't even remind her that the apartment building did have a rather nice elevator.

Finally, we made it through the front door of the apartment building. The entire team was standing outside the apartment in a line. They were all smiling. Sophie and Nate exchanged looks as Parker jumped in line.

"What's up guys?" I asked carefully, smoothing my twisted shirt.

"Six months ago, you joined our team," Nate said, clearing his throat slightly. Probably because at first he made it obvious he didn't want me in his perfect team. Sophie fought him tooth and nail, even threatened to leave and take the others with her so I would stay. "And since you've joined us, we've all groan a great amount."

"We've become a family, and taught you each of our trades. Since you first joined us, we've gotten stronger and closer," Sophie added, glancing at the people at her sides.

"We'll protect you," Eliot continued.

"Continue to teach you," said Parker seriously.

"To be the greatest of your generation," Hardison smiled at me.

"And most importantly, we'll continue to love you." Sophie moved toward me held out her hand for me to take something. She dropped car keys in my hands.

Car keys.

At first, I didn't know what to do. Part of me wanted to jump up and down, but the rest wanted to be sure this wasn't some sort of game.

"Really?" I asked carefully.

Sophie smirked. "No con. Promise."

Suddenly I jumped up and threw my arms around her neck. Then suddenly I pulled away. "So, where is it?"

Nate gestured to a brand new Camaro. White with a black double stripe down the top. The car was running and the window was down. Sitting in the driver's seat with their head out the window was this beautiful German Shepherd.

I blinked. "No…" I muttered, looking over at the team. "No way!" Now, I was jumping up and down sprinting into the street, completely disregarding safety at the moment.

The moment I opened the car door, the dog looked at me, it's front leg in a cast. I reached out slowly, letting him sniff my hand before scratching underneath his chin. Immediately the dog warmed to me and I patted its head.

"His name is Phantom," Hardison told me coming up beside me and petting the large dog as well. "Eliot got him from a friend. Poor guy was going to be put down because he broke his leg in training for a police dog."

I frowned looked at the dog that was now licking my hand. "Why? A broken leg heals."

"Sometimes when things are broken, people don't have the patience to fix it, or wait 'til it's fixed," Hardison told me.

Hardison and I didn't often have moments that were heartfelt and pure. But in that moment, I felt like he was telling me something.

As he turned away, I looked at him. "Just because it's broken doesn't mean it doesn't work." He glanced back at me, a small smile on his lips. "You just have to try a little harder."

Parker looked at me across the street and smiled. "And be more flexible for it."

As I climbed into the car, I looked at the team standing in front of the apartment building. Phantom jumped into the passenger seat. "I'll be back before dark, I promise!" I called, shifting the car into drive.

"We'll be at Nate's, just come by there," Sophie called back, earning a look from Nate.

The whole team watched as the girl drove away, not sure how, but all knowing something had changed.

_**Anyone pick up on the chapter one reference there? Up next The Grave Danger Job. Please Review! Love always, Marilynn**_


	34. Falling

_**Okay, so I officially want a dog like Phantom. I have a dog. Her name is Elsie and she's an awesome little mutt. But out of all the tricks I've taught her, she still won't take my mother's wallet out of her purse. **_

"Come on Phantom, let's go," I said patting my big dog on the head and opening my car door. We both jumped out and headed into the back of the bar to enter Nate's apartment. As I entered, Nate was drinking coffee while Parker ate cereal and stared out the window.

Sophie walked in shortly after me. She looked at me, then Parker, then Nate, then Parker again. She also sensed something odd was going on.

Taking a seat on the couch, I patted the cushion for Phantom to join me, only to get a dirty look from Nate, reminding me no dog on the furniture. As usual, I ignored him and snuggled into Phantom's fur even more.

Sophie looked back at Nate and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "What's up with Parker?"

Nate just shrugged. "It's Parker," he replied as if that said it all. But Sophie and I both knew there was the usual Parker and then there's this.

I looked back at the girl at the window. She looked empty and lost in her thoughts. Then I suddenly had an idea.

"Hey Parker! Wanna see something awesome?" I asked standing up and snapping my fingers at Phantom.

Parker turned around and I snapped my fingers, again getting Phantom to sit at my feet. Glancing up at Parker, I grinned slightly then went back to Phantom. I rubbed my fingers together and then pointed to Sophie's bag next to her.

Glancing up at Sophie, Phantom limped around the couch and then stopped when she saw him.

"Sophie you can't watch, or if you want to you and Nate will have to come over here." They both looked at me strangely. I gave them a "will you humor me please" look and finally they came over and stood on the opposite side of the couch beside me.

Phantom jumped up on the table and shoved his nose in Sophie's purse. Just as she was about to get onto the dog, I grabbed her hand and shushed her. Phantom jumped back down with Sophie's wallet in his mouth. He trotted over to me and dropped it at my feet. Looking back up at me, I twisted my wrist and her went back to retrieve her cell phone, which he also laid at my feet.

"Tada!" I proclaimed proudly, ruffling my dog's ears and offering him a dog treat from my pocket.

Sophie actually looked fairly impressed, but it quickly changed to aggravated when she realized her wallet and cell phone now spelled like dog breath. Parker on the other hand loved it. "Think we can teach him to open a safe?" she asked kneeling down and looking Phantom in the eye as if he's be the one to respond.

"A teenage thief and her pickpocket dog," Sophie muttered. "Even the dog's breaking the law now."

"Have you tested it out on someone yet?" Parker asked as I wiped off Sophie's stuff and laid it on the table.

I nodded. Sophie shot a look at me. "I put it back, geeze, don't give me that look," I growled.

Eliot and Hardison walked through the door and tossed a folder at Nate. They all moved back toward the bar and screen. The boys were not playing well together today.

"Okay," Nate said clapping his hand together before pulling everything up on screen. "Darlene Wickett and her sons are embezzling money from the dying and the grieving. It's the oldest grift in the book."

Sophie made a sound of disgust. "And the cruelest," she tossed in, looking over at me and Phantom who were beside her. "Even I never ran that one. It's tacky."

"Tacky? Terrible more like it," I spat. "We respect the dead and dying." Absentmindedly, my hand went for the necklace that wasn't there. The one my father took away years ago.

Nate glanced at me, but kept going. "Now, the Wicketts have operated all over the country. Our records show funeral licenses from three different states, but for the last five years, they've been here in Massachusetts."

"And no one's reported them?" Eliot asked greeting the dog before nudging me shoulder a bit for a welcome.

"They have, but, uh, she has bulletproof aliases for all the states she's worked in… Now the records we found show that the Wicketts have stolen five hundred thousand dollars and the moneys not in any bank. Credit-card records show that she has recently bought a wall safe, which is right here." Nate pulled up the outline of the safe on the screen.

This caught Parker's attention. She moved in front of the screen and hummed slightly. "Murphy-Beyer model PRK-11-21. Nice." We all watched her turn around. She shrugged slight at us. "Okay, she's a horrible human being, but she's got solid taste in home security."

"So what's our game?" I asked.

"We're going to steal a funeral."

Okay, considering the hundreds of ways we could have stolen a funeral, I was very happy we were just stealing someone else's. Though Parker did still wind up in a body bag.

Which is weird.

Sophie and Nate entered the funeral home as though they're attendants, as does Eliot, just for a different funeral. Parker was in the embalming room in the basement (reminder, weird) and Hardison was coming in as a client. As usual, I was stuck in my parents' pockets.

Taking a deep breath, I squeezed Sophie arm. Funeral homes were creepy… And there's a weird smell to it. Not to mention, there were dead people in caskets… And in coolers…

Parker is officially crazy for getting in that damn body bag.

Sorry, but there are very few things in life that freak me out more than dead people. It was kind of like I was afraid of them. But the way you fear spiders or some other completely ridiculous thing that really can't hurt you on a normal day.

But what day is ever normal for us? I have a pickpocketing canine waiting for me in Nate's apartment and I'm attending a funeral of someone that I've never met. Also, I'm not so sure if not knowing the poor guy made this better or worse.

"Woman in black at six o'clock. Pearl necklace, greeting people," I muttered to the adults as we entered the funeral home.

"Perfect hostess," Sophie whispered.

"Right on schedule. Hardison, heading your way," Nate said guiding both of us through the door.

I could hear Hardison grumbling cufflinks, but truthfully, I didn't really care. Sophie would straighten him out, meanwhile, I was scanning the room already. Lots of windows, the back wall behind the casket would be the best bet for a wall safe in this room.

"_Ew! I just stepped in something squishy!"_ Parker squeaked over the com.

I shivered as I hear Hardison gag. "That is _so_ gross," I muttered.

"_How come I had to go to the embalming room, anyway?" _Parker asked.

"_Because Hardison's too scared to get in the body bag and Anna can actually play grieving," _Eliot cut in.

And, the bickering begins. _"Hey, claustrophobia is a very serious condition. I got a note from my doctor. You want to see it?" _

Nate jumped in before it could turn into a real argument. "Eliot, where are you?"

We kept moving up the line. The closer we got to the body the more I wanted to sit down and tell Nate and Sophie to go ahead.

"_I'm fashionably late to an ex-con's funeral. I'm gonna check the room for a safe," _Eliot replied. I could hear him swallow. _"It's not ex-cons… It's cops, it's a lot of cops!" _he mumbled urgently. _"Hardison…"_

I looked up at Nate and Sophie, nonverbally asking if I needed to get Eliot out, but Nate shook his head.

Hardison was at a loss. _"I guess they must have switched the schedule."_

Eliot growled. _"You guess?" _Suddenly changing into a decent Boston accent, Eliot spoke again. _"I got caught up at the, uh, drug sting down in Dorchester, and I wasn't to get home and change clothes." _Then the accent was gone and a very pissed off Eliot came back. _"Hardison, when I see you, I'm gonna hit you so hard, your ancestors hurt."_

I couldn't help but chuckle a little, earning a fair shove from Nate telling me to be quiet. People don't laugh when they're around death. Even though we didn't know _any_ of these people.

All of us listened while Darlene tried to sell Hardison a casket, which was really freaking him out. You have no idea how hard it is not to laugh when you know Hardison is probably ready to bolt out of there screaming like a little girl. Not to say I wasn't half expecting the dead guy in the casket being mourned by the people around us to suddenly jump up and grab me.

"_This is the exact model I buried my own mother in," _Darlene added at the end. _"Truly our finest casket."_

Sophie glanced at Nate. "Nice touch about her mother," Nate shrugged.

"Yeah, isn't it? Especially since the old dear is alive and kicking in Dallas," Sophie shot back, obviously disgusted.

Finally we were up to the casket, a place I was very much wishing we weren't. I stood stiffly between Nate and Sophie, hoping that they wouldn't make me touch it or something. Not that it was a common custom, but I was really beginning to dread this.

Sophie glanced behind us to the woman in the front pew. "Tart…" she snarled, making me also glance to see the new widow already have her hand on the thigh of another guys. "Aww, he seemed sweet. Deserved better."

I looked back at the casket. "Where I'm from we just call them sluts and gold diggers." Apparently I said it too loud because Nate kicked me in the shin.

"Anna, tact, please," Sophie muttered as she guided me back to the pew by my shoulders.

"Parker, Eliot, you find anything?" Nate asked as we sat down.

"_Zip, zero, nil, nada…. Nothing," _replied Parker sounding aggravated.

"_This room's clear. I got nothing," _Eliot added.

Sophie removed her jacket with some help from Nate. "Grifters keep their cash close. Parker, check out Darlene's bedroom upstairs."

Eliot intervened. _"There's only one staircase that leads to the top floor, and the no-neck brothers are blocking the way."_

"I'm just saying, but I really hate this job already," I muttered also shedding my jacket. Sophie didn't reply, just wrapped her arm around my shoulders and squeezed.

Eliot seemed panicked. _"Parker, get out of there now! One of them is heading down."_

Sophie looked concerned. As did Nate. "Parker are you clear?" There was no immediate response. "Parker?"

"_A little busy here, Nate," _she snapped back.

Suddenly Sophie jumped. "Bloody hell!" she yelped gaining everyone's attention. I glanced in the direction she had looked to see Parker dangling from the window seal.

Still, everyone else in the room was looking at us. Immediately, Sophie went to crying into my shoulder and I patted her back to comfort her, desperately looking up at Nate.

She grabbed her hanky from her pocket and dramatically blew her nose.

Nate was already on his feet, trying to cover. "Why-why- why you looking at her like that, don't look at her like that! I mean we're all thinking the same thing: 'Bloody hell, why did he have to die?'"

"Anna, go help Parker, close the curtains, anything. Parker, move!" Sophie commanded as she clutched her hanky and scooted out of the pew to join Nate in his little speak.

Moving toward the back of them, I went to the window and yanked them shut, earning an odd look from one of the guests, but she didn't see Parker.

"But, you know, the fact is he did," Nate said sounding more like a salesman than a mourner. Sophie casted him a look and his tone softened, sounding more upset. "And do you know what? I'm sure there are some very valuable lessons that we can learn from his life."

Sophie moved beside him, sobbing into Nate's arm. Damn, never thought this would be a part of a con in a hundred years. Let's wing a eulogy in the middle of stealing from a funeral home. Why the hell not? This is the leverage team we're talking about.

"Out cousin, he taught me the value of," Sophie sobbed again, earning a pat on the hand from Nate. "Hard work."

I peeked out the curtain again. Parker gave me a thumbs up with her free hand before kicking herself up.

"Wow, and he…" Nate continued, patting Sophie's arm. "And he taught me how valuable it was to just take time to play."

Sophie nodded and swung back around to the people in the room. "Play."

I slowly moved back around to the pew and retook my seat. "Yeah, he reminded me of that all the time." Nate looked down at the body, undoubtedly searching for something else to say. "Never met such a dedicated baseball fan. You know, in fact, he told me that he wasn't going to die until the Red Sox won the World Series. Well, poor guy had to wait eighty-sex years."

Everyone in the room chuckled softly.

"But they won and he.. he died."

I tilted my head down and scratched behind my ear. "Will you guys please come back before this gets even more awkward. We may very well be going to hell for this!"

"Before we go, one last thing!" Sophie cut in, still sobbing, not to mention holding her hanky like a Brit. "He taught me to be patient. He didn't meet his soul mate late in life, but, wow, was she worth the wait."

Immediately I covered my mouth to keep myself from laughing.

"As beautiful as she is faithful." The last word had enough bite in it to take the woman's head off. Moments like these were reminders of why I love Sophie.

Nate sighed and put an arm around still crying Sophie. "In short, he led a good life and was a good man."

"We're better for having known him," Sophie added.

Nate nodded. "And I'm gonna spend the rest of my days trying to be more like Cousin…"

"Adam."

"Cousin Adam. I hope we all will."

Relief flooded me when the crowd began applause. Slowly I sank back into my seat as Nate and Sophie rejoined me. The fake tears were gone from Sophie's eyes as she wiped the last one away with her hanky, then she turned to me and winked.

That is probably what Nate meant when he said she scary. Emotions on and off like a light switch.

"_But where's the money?" _Parker mumbled, probably to herself into the com.

Still, it caught out attention. "Parker, you find anything?" Nate asked.

"_Looks like identity forms from Darlene's deceased customers. Got Social Security numbers, dates of birth."_

Sophie looked over at Nate. "Darlene's stealing identiies?"

"Okay, Darlene is running two scams at once," Nate muttered, nodding slightly.

Sophie shivered. "Ooh she's good. Horrible, clearly, but skilled."

Nate changed the plan, starting with the back story for Hardison's aunt. But when we found out, not only is she stealing identities but also selling them, the plan changed again. We were going to sell more identities to Darlene and set her up. But something went horribly wrong.

But that would begin tomorrow.

Sophie was in bed, her hair braided to keep out of her face as she read a book. The book was now face down in her lap and she seemed to be deep in some other thought. Her arm support and her hand on her mouth.

Phantom yawned giving away our position.

Before I could bolt for my bedroom, Sophie spoke. "You're going to have to teach that dog a little more stealth," she teased, already throwing back the covers and patting the area beside her.

"It's late and I saw your light still on…" I muttered a half lie.

Sophie knew it too. "Can't sleep either?"

Before I could respond, Phantom started growling. It was low and dark. Sophie jumped out of bed and reached underneath her mattress and pulled out a gun. Trust me, I was a little scared. Not every day that Sophie pulls out a gun.

Just then, Phantom relaxed and began to wag his tail. Parker appeared in the doorway and Sophie immediately shoved the gun back into its hiding place.

"You have a gun?" I stuttered, shocked.

Sophie glanced at me. "I'm a criminal wanted in seven countries living in apartment with a sixteen year old girl whose father is a world renown smuggler. Both of us have had threats on our life to people who have nearly succeeded. You're telling me you're surprised?"

When she put it that way, all I could do was nod. She had a few good points. But both of our attention was back on Parker. She seemed as though she was somewhere else in the world.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Sophie said softly moving toward her, acting as though she may spook if Sophie moved too fast.

"I keep thinking about the Newtons," she whispered, not looking at us. "Nate said that they had faith that their father was at peace, but it's not enough." Finally, she looked back up. "How do you do it?"

It was if I wasn't even there. It just Sophie and Parker and I wasn't even in the room. There was this emptiness in Parker that was almost always there, but really seemed like a handicap at the moment.

Sophie smiled at her a little. "Do what?"

"How do you…" Parker searched for the right word. "Care? You know, when you know that people, that people you like, that, someday, they'll die?"

A lump was growing in my throat as I watched them. Parker seemed completely lost. She seemed like the world of feelings was an area she never treaded on. No one liked thinking about the possibility of someone they care about dying, so they just don't think about it. But then there's always that fear, the pain of knowing that it will happen whether or not you think about it.

"Parker, I know we never really talk about it, but losing someone as a child can make me you put up walls." Parker looked away from Sophie and took a deep breath. Sophie looked away too and sighed. "Trust me, this life is not worth living without the people that make us want to tear down those walls."

Sophie looked up and smiled a little at Parker. "The thrill of vulnerability, the danger of opening your heart…" Placing a hand on her arm, Sophie met Parker's eyes. "It makes us feel alive."

Parker laughed slightly, but it sounded cut off my tears. "I feel alive when I jump off a building."

Sophie took the tiny blond into her arms and held her for a moment. "Maybe that's why they call it falling in love."

Parker looked at me over Sophie's shoulder and tears just started rolling down her pale cheeks. I will never forget the day Parker told me about her younger brother, and I will never forget the day Sophie taught both us something about love and jumping off a building.

Of course, hitting the ground may kill you, but feeling of jumping is unlike any other.

_**Ya'll know what happens next! Well, if you've seen the episode. Plus, let's add Anna. Please review!**_


	35. Grave Danger

_**So, this chapter was rewritten several times and I'm still not so sure about how it turned out so your opinion is much appreciated. Btw, what did you think about Sophie owning a gun in last chapter? I felt like I defended it well, but I don't know.**_

Sophie and I were sitting in Nate's apartment. Me reading a book, Sophie doing a crossword. Phantom was being himself, gnawing on a bone between us on the floor. Parker was off somewhere. I hadn't seen here but for a brief meeting before we all separated earlier.

"_Sophie, you're up,"_ Hardison reported over coms from his position in front of Darlene's home with the camera.

Without even looking up from her crossword, pen still in her mouth, she hit a button on her cell phone and it dialed out.

"_Good morning. Wickett Funeral Home,"_ Darlene's voice came over the Blackberry.

Sophie's accent changed from her classy Brit to a an elderly southern lady. I sweat the accent was straight from Steel Magnolias.

"Oh, Mrs. Wickett, this is Marjorie Evans. I live a few doors down from you." Her eyes lit up and she wrote something down on the crossword, completely unfazed by her multitasking.

"_Um, yes, Marjorie. How can I help you?"_

Finally, she put the paper down and picked up the cell phone, crossing her legs. "Mrs. Wicket, I'm sorry to bother you so early. There's a man outside your house, and I think he's takin' pictures."

She looked over at me and smiled as Darlene quickly thanked her and ended the call. As soon as she put down the phone I burst into laughter. That was the best accent I had ever heard Sophie due. Well, at least the most entertaining.

As though nothing happened, Sophie picked up her crossword again. "Six letter word for colored slightly…" she muttered to herself.

"_Shaded," _Nate replied almost instantly.

Sophie threw down the paper with frustration. "I wasn't asking you! I was thinking out loud! Quit giving me the answers!"

"_Quit doing my crosswords."_

That's the way things go in my family.

Sophie huffed and crossed her arms. After a few moments, she picked it up again. She muttered something under hear breath, and thought I couldn't make it out, I had a feeling it wasn't very friendly.

Hours passed while Sophie completed not only the crossword in paper, but also in the book he had under his bed. Sophie was one of those people that was never outright evil to the people she cares about, but she had her quirks to just piss someone off.

"_They have Hardison!" _

The three words had me jump to alert. Sophie also stood. "What?"

"_It went bad. They grabbed Hardison. Sophie, I need the identities again. Anna, Parker, help her, we'll be back at HQ in five," _Nate commanded.

Parker suddenly appeared out of nowhere and sat down at the computer already printing off the IDs. I grabbed them off the printer and used the seal to make them seem official. Sophie packed the envelope.

Nate and Eliot came through the door not long after. They had to have been booking it on the way back.

"I said to take me with you!" Eliot snapped as Nate through a bag of five hundred grand on the table.

"I know, stop it," Nate growled back running and hand through his hair trying to think.

"I said I'd be backup!" Eliot kept pushing.

Nate turned around and leveled with Eliot. "Stop with the 'I told you so.' We have to find Hardison."

Pain was in his eyes as he looked at the three of us. He knew something, at least he thought he knew something more than us. Whatever it was, it was making him ill.

He looked over at Sophie as she folded over the top of the envelope. "Same as before?" he asked.

"Uh huh. Same as before." She handed them back to him.

All I could do was watch as everyone moved around me. This was one of those times that my skills had no use. My knowledge of art smuggling or airport security was useless. My ability to act was pointless, and I didn't know enough to think like Nate or Sophie.

Glancing over at Parker, I noticed she had the same expression. At least Eliot knew thugs. He knew how they thought and their course of action.

Suddenly a phone began to ring.

Reaching onto the counter, Parker answered it.

"Hello?"

Her face suddenly turned serious as she snapped her fingers for the rest of the team to pay attention. She turned the phone on speaker. The nervous breaths of Hardison rang through the room. A hand went around my wrist and squeezed.

Though the cold exterior, Parker felt. She felt the fear, the pain, the panic just like the rest of us. What made her different was that she didn't show it. She didn't hide it, she just didn't know how to emote. An act of searching for support when she was scared, just grabbing my wrist, was probably alien to her, but she did it out of instinct.

My hand covered hers and I squeezed. "We're here," Parker said to the phone. "Hardison where are you?"

"_Um, I think I'm in one of Darlene's coffins. I don't have my earbud. I think Javier took it." _The voice was shaky, panicky. A lump grew in my throat. No one makes my hacker cry. _"He left me a phone but it's-it's old schoo. No GPS so you can't track me."_

Nate remained calm. "Okay, Hardison, listen. Javier must have wanted you to contact us to arrange a trade. Did you get his number?"

"_Yeah! Yeah… Texting it right now."_

Parker let go of my wrist and I walked around the counter to the computer. Just because the cell phone Hardison had didn't have GPS didn't mean Javier's didn't. The least I could do was try.

"Look, if you still have reception, you can't be buried that deep. If you're buried at all." Eliot's comment didn't help any of us. Parker looked ill, but stern. Sophie on the other hand was focusing, trying to piece everything together just like Nate.

"_I-I don't know where I am!"_ Hardison reminded him. If didn't matter if he was buried or not. That casket had a limited supply of oxygen and if we didn't get him out of there in… twenty/twenty-five minutes he was going to suffocate.

Eliot leaned over and whispered that reminder to Nate, only making Parker look sicker. Sophie's face also dropped.

"Okay Hardison, listen to me. The important thing is to stay calm. We are going to find you." Nate kept his calm and in control voice but everyone else was having difficulty doing the same.

Sophie looked up at Nate desperately. "Why not just give Javier the fake identities? They're of no value."

Nate sucked in a breath. "Wouldn't work. Uh, Hardison, just on one a second…" Nate pressed the mute button on the phone and circled the table. "

The deep blue eyes of Nate were moving back and forth as he thought. No one messed with our team, especially not some two bit drug smuggler. They weren't even that high on the food chain, and yet somehow had us by the throat.

Plans of personally tearing this man apart ran through my mind. I wanted this man to realize he could not screw with us, but the fact was, we were at his mercy unless Nate said otherwise.

"No, Javier will let Hardison suffocate just to, you know, tie up that loose end. No, no, we have to find Hardison first, then we'll deal with Javier. The cartel left twenty minutes ago. They're definitely driving the speed limit-"

I didn't look up. "Already pulled up an area radius," I told him, pulling it up on the screen and highlighting all open field."

Nate took the phone off mute. "Okay, Hardison, you're definitely, uh, buried in the radius of the funeral home."

"There's over four dozen areas of open field there," Eliot snapped, looking at the map.

"But it's the middle of the day where most of these places would notice some thugs burying a casket. No, it has to be a rural area or a grave yard," I said highlighting all the possibilities. Since they had to be in the middle of the city still, it left four options, all grave yards.

Sophie placed both hands on my shoulders and squeezed, a silent "good job" as they continued thinking and moving.

Parker took a step closer to the screen. "But which one?"

Eliot went over to the phone. "Can you smell anything, do you have pressure in your ears?"

Hardison's voice shook as he answered. _"No… wait-wait-wait!" The panic increased in his voice. "It's water! It's all around me. Do you hear that? Can-can you-can you hear that's water?"_ Sophie squeezed her eyes closed and bit her index finger. The panic in his voice made all our hearts drop to our stomach. _"It's all around me. It's like it just turned on, like a switch or something. Whoa-whoa-whoa…. It-it-it stopped… It just… it turned off_." His voice got really quiet. _"You heard that right?"_

I wanted to tell him of course we did, even though we couldn't hear anything but him, just to make him feel better.

Eliot looked at Nate. "Sprinklers. He ain't that deep."

Nate glanced between the four of us. "You know what else I bet he can hear?"

Five minutes later I was in an ambulance with Sophie and Parker, siren blaring. Sophie was behind the wheel as I squatted in between the driver's seat and the passenger seat. All of us were holding out breath, listening to Hardison panic. Part of me wished I would have rode with the boys, just so I didn't have to hear his panic. That was selfish, but at the moment I couldn't think straight.

Parker was so silent and so solemn it worried me. The same lost look in her eye that she had the night before. What was I suppose to do? Was I suppose to try and fix it?

Suddenly Hardison seemed to be gasping for air. _"Pa-Parker?"_ he called out for her.

"Hardison? I'm here," she replied, her voice cracking slightly.

"_Pa-Parker.."_ The phone was going in and out of signal. There was a moment where Parker squeezed the phone and I covered her hands with mine. She looked up at me and I held her gaze.

"We're going to find him, I promise," I told her, surprising myself with how sure I sounded. "We're going to get him out."

Slowly she nodded. "Hardison, can you hear me? Hardison?"

The only response she got were sounds of gasps and grunts of frustration. She looked over at Sophie and me desperately. "Sophie, he's losing it. He needs you."

"Parker, listen to me. You've spent a disproportionate amount of your life in air ducts. You, more than anyone, know how to control your breathing. He doesn't need me, he needs you."

There was a short moment where she looked like she was going to protest, but instead she stood up and moved to the back of the ambulance and I took her seat as passenger. Sophie looked over at me. She looked calm. Mostly calm at least.

Sometimes I wondered what it must be like to be Sophie. She could sort her emotions fairly well and in a moment of crisis she knew to keep her head on. Even when I was taken by my father, she remained calm during the time of getting me back, at least according to Nate. Maybe it was a skill learned from experience, or maybe she had to do it for everyone else who was panicking.

"He's going to be okay, right?" I said finally, looking over at Sophie.

She looked at me for a split second. "We're the best," she reminded me, but then again, she didn't say yes.

We were nearing one of the points when suddenly Parker hit the side of the ambulance. "He's here!" she yelled, jumping up and putting on a Bluetooth.

Sophie hit the gas and kept moving to a place to park.

"_Sophie, Javier is watching over Hardison. Now go to the back of the cemetery, we'll distract him," _Nate told us.

Sophie nodded to herself and pulled onto a side road and threw the ambulance into park. All three of us jumped out and took off running with shovels in hand.

"Look for a grave with fresh dirt on it!" Sophie commanded as we looked around. There were several. Parker and I both groaned as Sophie gritted her teeth. "Okay, look for clues. Foot prints, anything."

We dove into three different directions. I could tell Eliot was fighting over the coms but all I could focus on was finding the right grave. I had to keep thinking. Somewhere close to a sprinkler. They seemed pretty far apart.

Parker jumped up. "Anna! Sophie! He's over here!"

My feet beat against the soft damp ground as I took off toward her, shoveling the dirt off the grave. Suddenly Sophie looked past me. "Nate! Behind you."

She grabbed my arm and pulled me forward just as the gunfire began. My shovel was dropped in the dirt as I duck behind a headstone and kept my little body pressed against it. Nate ran toward us and dove behind the headstone with Sophie, holding her as close as possible to keep them both covered as the bullets continued.

Sophie looked at Nate desperately. "What do we do?" It was the first sense of panic she had shown since the beginning.

"Working on it!" Nate yelled back, pulling her down by her arms as so she wouldn't get out of cover.

I took a deep breath and looked over at Parker and she met my eyes. "You go that way, I'll go this way! He can't shoot us both!" she called.

"No! Parker! Anna!" Sophie and Nate called after us, but we were already gone.

Rolling left out of cover, I kept my body as small and fast as possible, cartwheeling into cover again. My body landed hard and the force kept me going hard into a headstone. I could see Sophie and Nate looking between Parker and I with horror, but I kept going. If I could get behind him, we had a better chance of taking him out and getting Hardison out in time.

I jumped up again and ran. Bullets whizzed around me but quickly turned toward Parker. This was my chance.

My feet slid against the wet grass as I changed directions, sprinting toward Javier with surprising speed. Suddenly the gun pointed back at me.

"Anna no!" Sophie screamed gaining his attention for a split second, but it was long enough.

I sweeped his legs out from under him and watched him land face first on the ground in front of us. I threw the gun out of his reach, but he flipped over and tripped me up by grabbing one of my ankles. Nate was running toward me as Sophie picked up the gun.

With my free foot, I kicked Javier in the face before Nate deliver ad final blow. He looked at me as I panted, still on the ground. Suddenly I heard more shots and I instinctively ducked, but Nate pulled me up.

Parker had shot holes in the coffin so Hardison could breathe. Eliot was right behind us as we sprinted over to the almost completely uncovered casket. Sophie held me to her as Nate and Eliot pulled it open.

Hardison struggled to get up, but Nate and Eliot immediately were helping him out of the hole. "Welcome to the land of the living!" Nate half cheered. I wasn't sure if the joke was for Hardison, the rest of us, or just so Nate could hold himself together. Tears were streaming down the young man's cheeks as he latched on to Eliot for a hug.

Sophie was crying as well as we watching the two men hug like long lost brothers. "Never do that again, man," Eliot said softly, his eyes closed. "Don't do that again."

Hardison was crying harder now. "I won't… I won't…"

When Eliot let go, Nate immediately replaced him. Hardison buried his face in Nate's shoulder and Nate held him like a son. Finally, I glanced over at Parker, she was barely holding herself together, looking completely exhausted.

Sophie let go of me to grab Hardison next. "You're okay," she whispered, her voice breaking. "You're okay." He nodded into her shoulder.

He looked down at me. "Hey sister," he whispered, tears still breaking in his voice.

I threw my arms around his neck. "I'll play any game you want with you, whenever you what, you're rules," I told him, smiling a little to keep my own tears controllable. "Promise."

He laughed half heartedly before looking over Parker. She looked at him, panting. Suddenly she turned around and walked away, leaving herself to be alone with her emotions.

That night, no one went home. We all sat, wide awake, in Nate's apartment. Yes, we were tired, but it was as if we were afraid to fall asleep and end up right back with Hardison in that coffin, or anyone of us just be gone.

Hardison and I played videogames, even Eliot played along with us, even though he was terrible. Parker sat in the window, looking out at the bright full moon and Sophie and Nate were speaking softly to each other about something. It was awkward and almost scary. Like we were all walking on egg shells.

I wasn't sure if I was ready for the next day even when it came. None of us left, but Hardison had fallen asleep and woke in a panic. The other adults comforted him, leaving me and Parker just watching.

Everyone had fallen asleep before the sun had completely come up, but me. My entertainment was a tennis ball. I kept thinking about that moment, that moment the gun turned on me and if Sophie or Nate (I could no longer remember which) hadn't called out, more of us could have been dead. We were lucky to be together still, breathing.

Parker rolled over and looked at me from her spot on the window. "You up too?" she asked as I bounced the tennis ball off the wall again.

"Yup," I snapped, my attitude shining through.

"Hardison kissed me," she muttered softly. There was something thoughtful in her tone, but also something painful.

That got my attention, I caught the ball and turned my whole body toward her. "And how did that make you feel?"

Her lips quirked into a smile. "Like I had just jumped off a building."

_**And there ya go. What did you think? Love always, Marilynn. **_


	36. Busted

Nate was watching me as I stared at the chess set. "Why do I have to play chess with you?" I snapped finally making my move.

"Because your mother did all my crosswords," he muttered, taking one of my knights.

I groaned, and took one of his bishops with my rook. "Then play her."

Sophie glanced at me over Nate's paper where she once again continued his crossword. It had become a challenge of hers to do his crossword before he had the chance to even read the paper. Sometimes she'd even get up early and get his paper.

"He doesn't like losing," she muttered.

Nate moved his queen. "Check."

After staring for a few long moments, I finally kicked over my king and growled. "Screw it." Pushing my chair out, I moved around the couch to Sophie and Phantom. The dog had his head on her lap as I moved to the opposite side of her.

Nate put the chess game away, looking annoyingly smug. "Sophie tells me you're going out with the boy from the arcade tonight," he said glancing at me.

My cheeks lit up. Of course she would have told him. "Yeah, but it's not a date. We're going to his friend's house."

Nate glanced over at Sophie and she shrugged. They were really starting to co-parent more. They even began the whole "go ask Nate-go ask Sophie" thing that had be bouncing between the two of them. They weren't too bad usually, but it was weird. It was somewhere between living with divorced parents or something. Then again, I wasn't exactly an expert on parenting styles.

Eliot tended to do some parenting every now and then, even though it was just when I did something stupid and he felt like Nate and Sophie jumping down my throat wasn't enough. Hardison usually encouraged me to be and kid and Parker acted like a kid with me. Whatever, it worked.

Finally Nate looked back up at me. "Be home by midnight."

My jaw dropped. "What? Sophie said one! It's not like I go to school!"

Sophie held up her hands. "Hey, calm down," she said softly standing up and moving to the kitchen to get more tea. "I did say one Nate."

Nate glanced over at me, but nodded. "He will be coming up to meet us," he informed me curtly.

"What is this, the 1940s?" I muttered crossing my arms and sneering at nothing.

Both of my parents shot me a silencing look. They were not going to sway after last time.

When seven o'clock rolled around, I found myself waiting at Nate's apartment. I was very thankful I didn't have to explain to Aaron why I changed the location, but I was dreading the fact that the rest of the team was insistent about being there too.

My hair was straightened and I wore a leather jacket over my v-neck tee, plus my skinnies and favorite pair of black boots. Nate tried to make me change but Sophie shut him up. I was not dressed provocatively or badly, Papa Bear just didn't enjoy the fact I was going out at all.

"You have your cell phone?" Sophie asked for the second time.

I glared at her. "I'm beginning to miss Maggie, all she did was pat my head and send me on my way."

Sophie glared at me. "Maggie doesn't do what we do, she has less to worry about."

Nate muttered something but I didn't catch what. There was a knock on the door and everyone turned and looked at me. Sometimes these people drove me insane. Glaring at all of them, I moved to the door and opened it. Phantom immediately jumped off the couch to check out the guest.

Aaron smiled at me and bent down to pet the excited pup. "Hey, ready to have some fun?"

I smiled back. "Definitely." Nate cleared his throat in a reminder and I rolled my eyes. "But my, uh, family wants to meet you." There was a silent _I'm sorry_ in that and Aaron just kept his smile.

Stepping out of the doorway, I took a deep breath. "Guys, this is Aaron. Aaron, er, meet the family."

He immediately stuck his hand out to Nate. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Clive. Thanks for letting Anna come hang out with."

Nate didn't seem the most comfortable but he shook his hand. When he only grunted in reply, Sophie glared at him.

"Just call him Nate," she said sweetly. "He's a bit grumpy." Then she offered out her hand to Aaron. "I'm Sophie."

Aaron accepted her hand and nodded before looking at the other three people in the room. Hardison and Eliot playing big brothers, just as uncomfortable as Nate, and Parker who seemed almost bored.

"And you all are…" Aaron said, obviously confused.

I grabbed his arm. "A _really_ long story, well be back later. Bye guys," I tossed over my shoulder, but Phantom wouldn't get out of my way. Finally I groaned. "Dad, call Phantom please."

Nate blinked but did so. We rushed out the building, mostly because I was worried one of them would try and say I forgot something, which I didn't. As we made it out to the front of the building, I could feel Hardison watching us on the outside cameras.

"I'm really sorry about them; they're over protective," I told him, but he just laughed.

"They're nice," he said as he walked over to a motorcycle and picked up a helmet.

My legs froze in place. "That's your ride?" I gasped, staring at the beautiful black paint.

"Yup, my dad and I rebuilt her. Pretty cool huh? I thought you'd like her. You seem like a daredevil."

Aaron threw his leg over the bike and offered me a helmet. I grinned and climbed on behind him. "Boy, you have no idea."

Hardison and Parker watched from the computer screen as Anna climbed on the back of the motorcycle and buckled her helmet. Anna wrapped her arms around his waist and laughed heartily as he took off.

Parker whistled. "Nate's not gunna like that."

Eliot and Nate both whirled around to look at the two huddled over the computer. "Something come up on the background check?" Eliot growled moving toward them.

Hardison shook his head then pulled up the fifteen seconds of video with Anna climbing onto back of Aaron's bike. Sophie looked conflicted while Nate sighed and fell into the couch with exhaustion.

It was difficult to set fair boundaries and rules. Neither of them wanted Anna on a motorcycle, but that wasn't fair. Anna was doing more dangerous things than that on jobs, but being on the back with a teenage boy driving killed them.

Nate loved very few things in life, his family was one of them. His love was not expressed normally, but that girl was the most normal thing he had at times. Plus, she was so much like all of them. She had Sophie's beauty, Parker's need for thrill, Hardison's quick study, Eliot's strength, and his ability to destroy herself.

He glanced over at Sophie. She looked at him and gave him a confused look. It was at that moment where he realized he was smiling at her. Finally, he stood up and offered him her arm. "Well, if Anna's out for the night I think we should get dinner," he said to her before heading to the door. "Don't mess up my apartment guys," he tossed over his shoulder before closing the door behind him.

Sophie smiled at him. "Dinner?"

"Dinner at your place."

*Anna*

So, there were drinks at the party and they were really good. They said it was jungle juice but it tasted like fruit punch. Four red cups later and I was really feeling it.

"This is fun," I told him as his friend Michael filled my cup again. We were dancing, Aaron's arm around my waist.

Aaron laughed and let me go. "We better get going. Your parents said be home by one."

There was a moment where I was going to argue, but I didn't argue. Saying my goodbyes to the other guests, Aaron and I headed outside.

Aaron steadied me by my arm and smiled at me as he helped me onto the motorcycle. "You don't drink very often do you?" he asked.

I flirtatiously batted my eye lashes at me. "Let's just say I have more of a liver than my father."

He laughed at me and got on the bike as well. With one hand he made sure I was holding onto him tight, and my drunken state wasn't leaving me reckless. He kicked the bike started and we took off toward Sophie's apartment.

I loved the wind in my face and the way we leaned into turns. As we pulled up in front of the building, he helped me off the motorcycle and steadied me. I looked up at him, smiling mischievously.

"I think this is where you kiss me goodnight," I whispered taking a step closer to him and going up on my tiptoes.

Aaron smiled at me. "You mean," he gave me a soft kiss on my lips, "good morning."

When we pulled away, we both looked at each other and started laughing. "Look," I said touching my mouth. "I'm not really into dating, or anything." Finally, I extended my hand. "Friends?"

He laughed too. "Sounds good. That means next time I drink and you drive."

I shrugged. "I have to go say goodnight to my mother, let's see if she ever lets me out of the house again."

I was careful to be as quiet as possible as I unlocked the door and stepped in. Phantom was laying on the couch, but didn't get up to greet me, just wagged his tail until I petted him. As I headed down the hallway, Phantoms followed me. I opened my bedroom door for him and crossed the hall to Sophie's room.

As I opened the door, the lights were off and it was almost completely dark. Slowly I walked over to the side of her bed and reached out touched Sophie's shoulder.

"I'm home," I whispered, shaking her softly. When she didn't immediately reply, I turned on the lamp.

Sophie and Nate both jumped up, clinging to the sheet.

I stared at the two of them. "You have to be freaking kidding me.

_**So here we go! Anna finally discovered Sophie and Nate's secret! But, she also found them while she was drunk… Anyone else see a problem coming? And maybe a really awkward conversation? Please review. Love, Marilynn. **_


	37. Sleeping With You

_**This came out a little more serious than I originally planned, but I think you will be surprised with the chapter. **_

They looked horrified as I paced back and forth at the side of the bed. This was unbelievable. It was one thing for them to be together, it was another for them to not tell me. As though there decisions didn't affect my life as well. "I don't even know where to begin!" I snapped not even looking in their direction mostly because it was kind of awkward since it was no secret they were probably naked. "Seriously? How long has this been going on, and don't lie to me! Remember, you two taught me how to read lies."

Sophie tugged at the sheet again, obviously uncomfortable. "Anna, if you could give us five minutes to dress, we can talk about this in the living room?"

"No!" I snapped back at them instantly. My face was hot with anger, and my body refused to find calm. Not to mention the turning in my stomach from the alcohol was killing me. There was a small reminder that the bathroom was twenty feet away when I needed it going on in the back of my mind.

"How come you didn't tell me? How come you snuck around?" That's what really hurt. They didn't trust me enough to tell me. Just as I was about to argue again, I decided against it and buried my face in my hands. Yup, I was going to be sick. "I'll be right back."

I made a beeline for Sophie's bathroom and dumped the contents of my stomach into the toilet. All the red jungle juice and the cheap snacks were gone, but it did make me feel a whole lot better.

For several moments I stayed there until there was a knock on the door. "Done yet?" Sophie sounded annoyed.

"You don't get to be the angry one!" I grumbled before flushing my mouth with some water. Finally, I stood up and threw open the door. Sophie was dressed in her pajamas and Nate was wearing a t-shirt and the same pants I saw him in earlier.

Sophie glared at me. "You're drunk."

"And you're sleeping with Nate. Now that we're all caught with pretty sufficient evidence…" I was still feeling a little green. Still, Sophie and Nate looked just as ready for a fight as I was, which wasn't real ready.

We all moved into the living room, even Phantom. We all stood there, Nate and Sophie in front of the couch and me in front of the TV.

"So, how long have you been together?" I asked crossing my arms. Truthfully, I was more hurt that they didn't tell me than anything else.

"How many drinks did you have?" Nate shot back.

Sophie raised her hands and stood between us. "We're not playing this 'answer a question with a question' game." She turned to me and touched my forearms. "We will answer your questions first, but do not think you're going to get away with anything."

Slowly, I nodded. "How long have you been together?" I asked again, trying to seem calmer.

Sophie moved back toward Nate and exhaled, blowing her hair out of her face. She glanced over to him and rolled on her feet. "We're not in a relationship. We're just… sleeping… together."

My brows furrowed. "Okay? I don't get it."

It was obvious this was not something Sophie wanted to talk about, especially not with me and Nate was going to let her do most of the talking. Taking a few steps back and forth she bit her lower lip.

"We're not in a relationship. We're just having sex. It's what people do sometimes." She was trying to not say anything incriminating but it wasn't working all that well.

Nate turned away from us. "I'm going to make some tea."

At that moment I think my heart broke. Somewhere inside me I actually hoped they were really together. That they maybe, just maybe, we were going to be that happy little family that I wanted. A dad that wasn't going to put me on a plane and let unspeakable things happen to me while I was alone in other countries. A mother that was there and wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

Nope. And it hurt.

"So, ya'll are just knocking boots for the hell of it?" I snapped. "Just because you want. Non ci posso credere!" {_I can't believe this.}_

When the words came out of my mouth, they surprised even me. Yes, I was fluent in Italian, you had to be when you were Antonio Moretti's daughter, but I hadn't spoken it since I left home years ago. It was the language my father would speak to me in when he was angry.

Sophie noticed my sudden withdraw, but she didn't mention it. "Anna, we're adults, it's-"

"Are you using protection?" I pressed, crossing my arms and raising my eyebrow. Truthfully, I was just trying to make her mad now.

Some choking sound came from the kitchen as Nate spilt something on the floor. Sophie's face was suddenly very red. I glared at her.

"Don't give me that look. You'd ask me the same thing if I was telling you I was sleeping with someone," I growled.

"Yeah, but you're the kid and I'm the parent," Sophie was beginning to get frustrated and angry. Then a look of realization came across her face. "_Are _you sleeping with someone?"

"No!" I exclaimed throwing my hands down. "And you're avoiding my question!"

"Yes, Anna, we're… using protection." The last part came out almost as a mumble. There was a moment of awkward silence as I threw myself into the armchair. Slowly Sophie made her way toward me. Kneeling in front of me, she tried to look me in the eye. "Are you going to tell me what you're really mad about?"

My eyes were watery as I glared at her. "I'm just wondering how long it's going to take for everything to get screw up."

They had no rebuttal, they had no closing argument. All they had was beginning of a new fight. "How much did you drink?" Nate asked from the kitchen.

I shrugged, mostly because I didn't really know. "Like five cup of 'jungle juice'," I muttered. "Aaron didn't drink at all."

Sophie rubbed her hands over her face and moved toward the hallway. "Let's not do this now. We'll deal with it in the morning. I'm tired, you're still intoxicated, and Nate needs to go home," Sophie said calmly.

"Why doesn't he just stay? I mean there's no point in ya'll sneaking around anymore," I snapped getting up and moving past Sophie to my bedroom. "I mean, why the hell not."

Sophie watched at Anna stormed into her room followed by her dog. She leaned her head back against the wall and groaned. She still wasn't used to having to add a teenager into every decision she made in life. Yes, she did know Anna would have to find out eventually, but they were going to make a plan. Talk it out. Maybe explain it in a way that wouldn't have her storming off to her room.

There wasn't a way Sophie could punish Anna for drinking at the moment, she was hurt and anything Sophie said would just start War World III. Parenting was not as easy as she had hoped.

Nate offered her a mug of tea and leaned against the opposite side of the hallway.

"I told you to leave before Anna got home," she grumbled before taking the tea to her lips.

Nate narrowed his eyes. "Don't pretend I'm the only guilty party, Soph. We've made our bed and now we have to sleep in it."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "No pun intended?"

Nate took a step closer to her and placed his hands on either side of her head looking down at her. He held her gaze for a long time. "Pun very much intended," he whispered huskily. He lowered his head to take her lips to his.

At first she wanted to argue, but allowed him to deepen the kiss. Suddenly she pushed him away and tried to glare at him even though she was still smiling. "We have a sixteen year old who is drunk and ready to kill us both and all you can think about is getting in my knickers?"

Nate tilted his head and began kissing her neck and behind her ear. She had to bite her lip to stay silent. "She told me to stay, and I think in her own way, that was her approval." When Sophie didn't reply he stopped kissing her neck and looked at her. "Or are we really going to talk about this now?"

Sophie gave him a conflicted look before shrugging. "Oh what the hell, the problem will still be here in the morning. Whether we talk about it now or not."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately, then suddenly pulled away. "Anna really is upset right now, and I don't know-" Nate groaned and started kissing her neck again, "if we should be doing this."

Nate didn't reply, just kept kissing her neck as he closed the distance between their bodies. His hands moved up her thighs and slid underneath her shirt, igniting a fire in her stomach and making her seek out his eyes.

His lips quirked up into a smile as their eyes met and he went back to kissing her, this time she seemed to be back into it. Her skin was hot beneath his touch as they as quietly as possible moved to her bedroom again.

Then Sophie broke away again. "No, I mean this is serious. Our daughter also went out drinking, that you should be concerned about," she pressed again.

She fell back onto the bed and he continued, not replying, trying to get her back on the subject at hand. But she wasn't having it. "She's sixteen, I mean, do kids drink a lot in this country? I mean kids drank some in my town growing up, but I mean, it was Europe and usually not against the law-"

Finally, Nate threw his head into the pillow next to Sophie's head even though he was on top of her, before straightening himself up and looking down at her, his hands on either side of her head again, but this time they were in a much more compromising position. "I'm not going to be able to drop this right now am I?"

She gave him a weary smile before he rolled over and laid next to her, staring up at the ceiling. "First of all, kids drink, I drank-" she looked over at him to remind him that that confession was not all that helpful for Anna's future. "Soph, most kids drink, I'm sure Eliot and… okay he may be the only example out of the crew, but I'm sure the other's at least tried it before they were twenty-one. Second of all, you're seriously worried about breaking the law?"

Sophie sighed. "Okay, well what about us? That's not going to go over smoothly tomorrow." She turned over on her side and propped herself up on her elbow.

Nate mirrored her position. "I think she'll surprise you. Tonight she was in shock, I think she'll come around once that wears off. She's more angry at us for not telling her than the actual crime itself."

"She feels like we like to her," Sophie muttered. "She's come so far in trusting us and now I'm worried…"

Nate squeezed her hand, the one she didn't realize he was even holding. "Anna loves you, she'd be the first to tell you that." He smiled at her. "Besides, you're the amazing Black Widow."

Sophie laughed heartily, then looked at her partner for a long moment. She leaned in and kept her eyes looking deep into his soul. Nathan Ford was a complicated man. Damaged by pain, broken by love. Yet, somehow, after all that, he was learning to love again. First with Anna, and slowly, not that he even knew, but he was learning to love her too.

She smiled at him and kissed his lips and deepened the kiss. She pushed him onto his back and this time she looked down at him. "That's why I'm sleeping with you, Iron man," she whispered, running her hands down his chest and deciding to finish what he started.

_**So, what did you think? Next chapter will pick up the in morning. Sneak peek? Nate's cooking breakfast, Anna's slightly hung over, and Sophie's enjoying both of them a little too much. Please review! Love always, Marilynn. **_


	38. Time Bomb and Chocolate

_**I was actually surprised I was able to finish a chapter this soon. Midterms are next week and I had 3 group projects this week. Anyone else think that college group projects are annoying? Anyway! Enjoy!**_

The next morning I wake up and there's this annoying buzzing in my skull. Everytime I turn my head, the pain just increases. Suddenly my bedroom door flies open and before I can bury my head under my blankets, Sophie yanks the curtains open.

"Rise and shine," she says way too happily and loud.

I groan and shove my pillow on my face. "Can't I sleep in today?" I muttered sleepily.

Sophie plops down on the bed and pulls my pillow away. For a long moment she looks me over and I wonder what she's thinking. "It's already eight-thirty. You slept late enough. Nate's making breakfast."

Suddenly all the events from the night before came flooding back. I groaned against and rolled over, not wanting to look at her. Sophie wasn't having any of that.

"Look, it's just you and me in here right now, why don't you tell me what you're thinking?" Sophie asked laying a gentle hand on my cheek. For a moment I wanted to fight her, but the truth was, I lived with this woman so there was really no point. We'd eventually have to talk about it, some of it at least, but it didn't mean I'm telling her all of it.

"I'm just mad you didn't tell me. I mean, how long have you been, uh, sleeping together?" I asked scooting myself up and leaning against the headboard.

Sophie leaned against the headboard too and didn't look at me. "Sleeping together regularly? Since the Verd Agra job. But we did sleep together in San Lorenzo while you were with Maggie."

I didn't really know how to respond so I just nodded. We both sat there for a long time. I wanted to tell her that I wanted them together. That I was scared of this because I didn't want to lose my family if something happened. That I loved them both and I didn't want to have to try and imagine them ending and becoming awkward. They would try not to be, but I would feel it. I would see it.

Maybe that was selfish, but I was finally in a place where I felt truly safe and loved. My old life was so complicated. When I was home, I was an heiress. Treated like royalty by the people employed by my father, but treated as nothing by the man himself. Then the months I was gone, I was told to get the artifacts into the states by any means necessary or there was no point in coming home.

The first time I wasn't able to get the artifact to the "buyer", my father broke my nose, two fingers, and my collar bone. I never knew what the people overseas would do to me if I was caught, but I knew my father would only be worse. Sometimes it was easier to just close my eyes and shut it all out.

My family now would never hurt me, but the fear of me waking up one morning and them being gone was constantly in the back of my mind.

"So what the difference between what you guys are doing and dating?" I asked finally.

Sophie opened her mouth, then shut it looking fairly confused and conflicted on what to say. Finally, she looked at me. "We live complicated lives and with you and the team we don't want feelings to screw anything up."

I looked over at her. "I don't get it. Aren't you already emotionally invested?"

Sophie looked at me and sighed. "I'll tell you when I know, how about that? But right now, breakfast!"

She got off the bed and moved toward the door. I struggled after her, my legs tangled in my blankets from a restless night's sleep. "Wait!" I called finally getting free and nearly falling on my face in the process.

She looked at me from the door before I jumped up and threw my arm around her neck. "I love you, Mama," I said softly hugging her tight.

She wrapped her arms around me and held me there. "Love you too, baby girl," she replied, her voice cracking slightly. Before I could see if she was crying, Sophie released me and turned away, heading back toward the kitchen.

I closed the door behind her and quickly showered and changed into my clothes for the day. Fifteen minutes later I was towel drying my hair and taking a seat at the bar in Sophie's kitchen. She was standing oddly close to Nate and didn't notice I was sitting in there.

"Can I have some Tylenol?" Suddenly the two adults jumped apart and turned around and stared at me. "And coffee?"

Nate shook his head but obliged. "You're starting to just appear places like Parker," he laughed sliding a pancake on my plate before nudging the blueberries closer as well. Phantom whined a little and I "accidently" dropped a piece of bacon on the floor.

"Scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes. I'm slowly becoming more okay with this," I teased, trying to show them that I was sorry about my behavior last night. Nate and Sophie exchanged looks quickly, just so I didn't notice but I did. Just like they noticed my bacon drop.

I dropped a large amount of blueberries onto my pancake and took a hearty bight. "So, does the team know, or was it completely by accident that I found out at all?" I asked plainly. My goal was to get questions answered without sounding like I was attacking them.

"Just you," Sophie said carefully, turning around and this time actually looking at me. Her eyes narrowed and she quirked her lips into half a smile. "How's the head?"

My cheeks flushed for a reason I wasn't sure of. Sophie was very good at her job as a grifter, and sometimes that transferred over into her parenting. She was good at putting me to shame. "Buzzing."

She smiled at me and ruffled my hair sending a new pain throughout my skull. Just as I was about to smart off, my phone chimed, then Sophie's. It was a text from Parker.

_Choco-choco-cholate festival! You're coming! _

I looked over at Sophie who was also checking her phone. "Apparently Parker wants you to go to some chocolate thing with her," she announced as I stuffed my mouth with more pancakes and eggs.

"She asked you? She told me." I grabbed my phone and texted Parker back. _What time?_'

Parker suddenly walked into Sophie's apartment and took a seat next to me. "It starts in thirty minutes, but it's a twenty minute drive," she said, taking a bite of my pancake. She then looked up to Sophie and Nate on the other side of the counter. "Hi Nate, Hi Sophie."

Nate looked extremely uncomfortable as he cleared his throat. "Do you ever knock?" he mumbled as Sophie took a bite of my eggs.

I glared at both them. Seriously. Get your own plate!

Finally, Parker realized something was wrong. "How come Nate's cooking breakfast over here? Did you not want to share with Hardison and Eliot? They're already at your place."

Nate groaned and turned off the stove. "On second thought, I think I am going to go home. We have a client to meet in an hour anyway."

Sophie nodded and continued eating off my plate. Parker grabbed my arm and nearly pulled me out of the chair. "We'll be back later! We're going to go eat chocolate! Chocolate chocolate chocolate!"

I opened my mouth to protest, but I was already being drug to the door. "Uh, bye?" I called just as the door closed behind me.

Parker is a very scary driver all the time, not just when there is chocolate involved, so imagine the way she drove to the chocolate festival. The entire time, she was throwing chocolate at me telling me to try something.

"Oh my dear Lord, this is amazing!" I mumbled taking a long drink of a white chocolate espresso. My body was shaking with the sugar rush but it was so good! Another waiter went by with some other type of chocolates in little papers.

Parker and I both grabbed for one, okay three. As we continued to stuff out faces, she nudged me. "Aren't you glad I made you come?" she asked bouncing up and down in place.

I nodded fiercely. "The one who can steal the most chocolate before the carnival closes, gets to drive home." I checked my phone. "We have ten minutes."

Parker didn't reply, just jumped into action. I did the same. Moving toward the booths, I began pocketing handfuls of bars into the gift bag we were given at the door. Carmel, almond, dark chocolate, chocolate espresso, milk chocolate. All kinds of chocolate stashed into my bag.

As they announced closing time, Parker and I were already almost to the car. Opening the door, Parker smiled. "Ninety-six."

I grinned wider. "One-ten."

Growling, she tossed me the keys to _my_ car. "Fine, you win."

It was already past nine o'clock when we got back to Nate's apartment. Eliot had gone home and Nate and Sophie were sitting at the table running the con. Hardison was doing the actual leg work.

My hands were trembling with the sugar rush as paced around the table, but my stomach was really sick of chocolate. Sophie buried her face in her hands as Parker clicked her candy bars together and bounced up and down in her seat.

"Nate… Nate? Nate, Nate-Nah-Nate Nate! Nate!" she nagged, her eyes wide and her hands drumming the chocolate faster.

"Parker?" Nate replied with a groan.

"What else did we miss in the briefing?" Parker pressed. I finally actually took a good look at her. Chocolate was smeared across her shirt and hands, and I was pretty sure there was even a bit to the right of her nose.

My chocolate limit for the week was definitely maxed out. Just smelling the stuff made me sick.

"Nothing. Nothing at all. I told you," Nate grumbled, trying to keep his patience as Parker kept drumming the candy bars.

Sophie, on the other hand, lost it. "Oh, will you please just stop that hammering?" she snapped viciously.

Parker stared at her for a long moment before dropping the candy bars on the table and looking back at Nate. "Why'd Eliot go home?"

"Because he knew you had chocolate…" Sophie mumbled as I rounded the table for the twenty-second time. "Anna! Sit!" she snapped, pulling out a chair. I sat nearly instantly, as did Phantom who had been following me the entire time.

Nate glanced over at her for a short moment before looking back at Parker. "Because he doesn't have to be here, just like you don't have to be here."

Parker jumped up from her seat and looked through Nate's blinds. "I don't mind. I'm still energized from Le Festival du Chocolat!" she cheered. "Oh, my God! Sophie, you should've been there!"

Sophie had both hands on her face now, inhaling and exhaling slowly. But of course, Parker didn't notice her lack of patience at the moment.

"Sophie. Sophie. Sophie!"

"What?! What?! What?!" Sophie replied frantically, seeming obviously distress. Man, she was cranky. She must have not got much sleep last night.

Parker ran across around the table and pulled me up and started dancing me around the floor. "We tasted like 12 different kinds of chocolate and then Anna and I had to steal as many chocolate bars as we could in ten minutes and _she beat me!_ Can you believe it? Anna's getting really good. Then again, I did let her have the easier side, but still!" Parker stopped suddenly, inches from my face. "Tell her!"

She spun me around to face Sophie, and I blinked blankly.

Sophie looked like she was ready to pull out her hair. "At least Anna's sugar high has crashed." She opened her arms up and I went to her, sitting in her lap and laying my head on her shoulder. It had been a long day and the only thing I've eaten all day was what Nate made for breakfast and chocolate.

Suddenly Nate's posture changed. "Hardison, okay. Did you find it?" Nate asked.

I retrieved an earbud from my pocket and stuck it in my ear. _"No. It's probably off shore. Isle of Man or one of those new joints, like Timor. Look man, once he starts moving the money, I can find it, but right now it's like looking for a needle in the Grand Canyon."_

Parker also retrieved an earbud. "Hi Hardison!" she chirped bouncing up and down again.

"_Uh… Hello?" _he replied cautiously.

Parker pointed at Nate accusingly. "Nate won't tell me what the name of the job is."

Sophie had her arms around my tiny frame as she sighed. Nate gritted his teeth. "Parker, not now. Please?" he tried, but Parker wasn't having any of it.

"Yeah, but what are we stealing?" she asked taking the seat directly beside him. "Is it, 'let's go steal a mountain' or a potato or a funeral or a panda or…?"

Hardison sighed. _"I told y'all not to let her go to that festival unsupervised."_

I frowned. "I went with her," I mumbled not taking my head off Sophie's shoulder.

"_And you're probably gonna have juvenile diabetes. Just saying."_

Before I could throw out a smartass comment, Hardison started stuttering. _"What's happening Greg?" _

I looked at Sophie and Nate. "Who's Greg?" I asked confused.

Sophie nudged me to get up and she moved over to Nate. "Our mark."

"_I'm just burning the night oil, ya know what I mean?"_ Hardison tried, but he sounded too nervous to be very convincing.

"_I figured you'd be the one I'd find working later than anyone else."_ The voice was older. I would guess late thirties, well educated. But even from his tone I could tell he was a snake in the grass. One that was a bit full of himself and wasn't easily intimidated.

"_Yeah, yeah, it's all in a day's…"_ Hardison actually covered pretty comfortably, but it was too late, he was blown.

"_I'd expect nothing less from Alec Hardison, hacker extraordinaire, when he's trying to pull a cyber heist."_

I looked over at Nate and Sophie who both looked like they were a little surprised, but not too worried. Nate bounced his fist up and down on the table. "Okay, okay. Just stay cool. Tell him you're not stealing first of all."

Hardison managed to get the words out, but he was getting verbally roughed up. This Greg guy knew how to pick out the flaws in a person better than I would expect. It was like he had Sophie's superpower times two, at least he was much more willing to call people out on it. _"Who do you think you're bumping? I'm Greg Sherman, The Mako."_

Mako? What kind of name was that? At least be something interesting.

"_My father was the Springfield Wonder. My grandfather was the Yellow Kid. Titanic Tompson, Wildfire John, I knew them all. My family invented most every con that you've ever heard of," _Greg Sherman continued.

Nice history lesson, but truth betold, I honestly wasn't that worried. He may have griftnig in his blood, but we had Nate, a mastermind that sometime bordered on evil, but brilliant; Sophie, whom some have called the greatest grifter in the world; Eliot, who can just kill you if he really wanted; Parker, who could steal your sock without noticing, while you were wearing laced up tennis shoes; and Hardison, hacker extraordinaire. This Mako dude didn't know who he was crawling into bed with .

Nate sat up in his chair and drummed his fingers on the table. "Tell him you're parking proxies in his accounts."

"_I was hire to park proxies-commodities," _Hardison replied calmly.

Sherman wasn't sold yet, not that we expected him to be. _"What the angle?"_

"_Angle?"_

"_Repeating the question to buy time to think of a lie? I was doing that in the second grade!"_ Man, I really hated this guy's attitude.

Hardison recover quickly. _"I was hired by a commodities mogul."_

"_What commodity?" _If this guy's life as a criminal fail, which it probably would since he was currently our mark, he'd make an excellent interrogator. Some people just must use their powers for evil.

Nate opened his mouth to give the answer, but Parker was on it. "Chocolate!" she demanded.

Sophie looked at her desperately, covering her own mouth with her hand. Taking a deep breath, I covered my eyes and shook my head.

"_Chocolate."_

This seemed to interest Sherman. _"Cocoa futures. That's a very volatile market."_

"_No, it's crazy, is what it is,"_ Hardison played the hook.

"_What's the play?" _Sherman demanded.

"_The play is supply and demand, you know? If you control or predict supply and demand, you corner the market." _I was actually really proud of Hardison. He was really getting better at coming up with stuff on the fly. Not to say he was bad at it, but he had a tendency of going over board.

"_He's a hedge fund manager? They're a dime a dozen in commodities," _Sherman scoffed.

Hardison knew how to play this. _"No, but this guy, he's only focused on one commodity: cocoa. Some people even call him Count Chocula."_

Nate groaned and Sophie dropped her head. "Count Chocula? Seriously, Hardison?" he mumbled.

Sherman grew much more serious. _"I want to meet this count." _Before Hardison could interrupt, he raised his voice. _"I meet him, or you don't leave this building. You read me?" _

Nate looked off into space as he made his plan. "Okay, we're going to have to call Eliot, and secure some office somehow." Sophie grabbed a piece of paper and pen, ready for Nate to start his list while I reached into my pocket for my cell phone. "We're gonna need signage, propage, everything. Hardison, stay with the keyboard for now." Nate glanced between the three of us. "No shortcuts here."

We worked well into the morning, and though everyone, except Parker's, energy levels were low, we finished at about one.

Sophie laid the sign on the table and nudged me with her foot. I was laying on the hardwood floor, using Phantom as my pillow, finishing up the little stuff; pamphlets, name plates, photoshopped pictures. I was exhausted, barely able to keep my eyes open as I finished framing the final photo.

"Come on, darling, it's time to go home," Sophie said softly as I glanced over to see Parker, unconscious on Nate's couch.

I groaned an argument, but Sophie snapped her fingers and my pillow ran to her side. Suddenly the floor was much less comfortable. She reached out and helped me up, before handing me her car keys.

I snapped my fingers and Phantom was at my heels. Nate was standing in his pajamas by the door whispering something to Sophie, as I walked up to them. Nate gave me half a smile before I hugged him and kissed his cheek goodnight.

It was all so normal, even for as weird and completely abnormal family we were. It just felt right as Nate pulled the throw cover off the top of the couch and laid it over Parker and exchanged a smile and a quick goodbye with Sophie.

Still… it felt like everything was a time bomb, waiting to explode and take my family away in the fire.

_**So… A little bit of emotion in this one as well as a little bit more background into Anna. What did you think? Please review! Love, Marilynn**_


	39. Love

_**Sorry for the delay folks, I had midterms. Straight A's though! Woohoo! Not to mention, I rewrote this chapter 3 times. Tell me what ya think!**_

The con was over and, as usual, we were successful. It was a little funny to watch Nate and Sophie get outted on sleeping together, not that the team had actually talked about it yet. I was hoping someone would mention that they too were starving and we'd get something to eat.

Shelia walked over to us and smiled at us as she laid a cake on the table. "I can't thank you all enough. But…"

Sophie gave her a patient smile. "What is it, Sheila?"

"Well," she said slowly. "When I checked the school account, the seventy-two thousand dollars wasn't there. There was over a million."

Nate smiled at her. "I'd say your school's gonna be all right for a while."

She smiled again and thanked us. Sophie was nursing her glass while Nate finished off another scotch. Eliot was drinking beer and Hardison was having his usual orange soda. Parker and I kept our Cokes.

Silence fell among the table, and it was not a good kind of silence.

"So," Hardison jumped in. "Who's gonna point out the big, pink, argyle elephant in the room?"

The entire team exchanged looked, except for me. "Can I eat that?" I asked, pointing to the cake beside Parker. Eliot pushed it toward me as I searched desperately for a fork. This conversation had already been had with me and I was way too hungry hear it again.

I grabbed the spoon Sophie had been stirring her drink with and dug into my cake. No one was paying much attention to me, all eyes were on the parents.

"Listen, it's not that you're not two consenting adults," Eliot said slowly, putting his drink down and leaning toward them.

"But we need to be able to rely on each other," Parker added in.

"And we need to be aware of each other's emotional states," Hardison finished.

"Our emotional states are fine," Nate snapped, obviously ready to change the subject.

"It's not like we're having a real relationship. No. It's just…" Sophie began.

We all looked each other, praying she wouldn't say the word.

"Friends with bennies," Hardison finished for them.

Nate didn't seem to like the term much. "Well, I'd say it's…"

But Sophie looked at him. "Yeah. That's not a bad way of looking at it."

Then suddenly, they all turned to me with the half eaten cake and a mouthful of icing. "And this can effect tiny tot over here," Hardison muttered as though I wasn't there.

I blinked at them. Was this one of those moment were I should excuse myself or just leave? Or was staying okay too? But before I could speak, everyone just started laughing.

"When was the last time you ate kid?" Eliot asked as I took another bite.

With a mouth full of cake, I looked up at him. "Breakfast."

They all started laughing. "Quit eating the cake and I'll go up and make something," Eliot said pulling away the eight inch, round cake. I frowned as he yanked my spoon from me too.

We all headed up the steps to Nate's apartment and found themselves at home. I looked up at Eliot as I rolled up my sleeves and revealed my no longer bandaged arms and wrists. Though, not necessarily a requirement, I had been sure to wear sleeves lately, even though the weather was warming slightly.

"Are my hands heeled enough to start playing again?" I asked, glancing over at my cello case propped against the wall.

He stepped toward me and turned my palms up toward the light. The scars were still raised and pink but not nearly as tender to the touch. Taking his thumb nail, he pushed it against the pad of my index finger, making me yank it away in pain.

Again he held his hand out, waiting for me to give it to him, but I just looked at him. He gave me a look that plainly said to get over it, and I slowly gave him my hand. He raised it to his face, running his fingers over my scars.

"Give it one more week. Then you should be able to go back to playing," he reported, letting go of my hands.

Sophie looked down at them before running her hand over one of my forearms. She hated the scars. The only ones that she hates more than the ones I've gained since I've been with them are the ones I had before.

Eliot went back to cooking and Nate came toward me. He put an arm around my shoulders and squeezed slightly. "Chocolate cake for dessert?" he offered jokingly.

"Please, no more chocolate. I don't even want to hear that word for a month!" I groaned bumping into him a little.

"Why don't you start a movie?" Parker jumped over the couch and landed with her feet over the back and her head toward the floor.

I plopped down on the couch next to her and glanced over at Hardison. "You know it's Hardison's turn, are you sure you want to watch a movie?" I asked her.

"Dawn of the Dead it is!" Hardison cheered, opening it up on the big screen. Sophie groaned and also took her place on the couch. Nate nudged me with his arm, telling me to move to the floor and he'd take my spot.

I sat inbetween Sophie and Nate's legs as Hardison set up the movie and Eliot laid a plate in my lap. "Oohh, pasta!" I cheered digging into the noodles.

The movie started, and before I could even look up, a pair of hands covered my eyes. There was heavy breathing and the sound of water running over the speakers. "Damnit Hardison? Seriously?" Nate snapped.

I groaned. "If you all think I haven't seen a sex scene in a movie-" I pushed the hands away to see two very naked people going at it. Immediately I looked away. "Okay, never mind…"

Hardison skipped to about the first five minutes and went straight into the zombies. Personally, I like Zombie movies, but my food was much more interesting than anything else. I probably missed the first thirty minutes because I was stuffing my face and getting up for seconds.

None of us were really effect by scary movies, I mean, they aren't real. Plus, if they were, we'd have one heck of a team to fight off zombies. But quite honestly, if I was watching this movie alone in my room, I may be a bit more on edge than I was now.

When the credits rolled, Sophie had fallen asleep, her head on the arm of the couch and her legs across Nate's lap. Parker had moved from the couch to the chair and was also curled up and asleep. Eliot was cleaning up after dinner and Nate was moving to his bedroom.

"Sophie," I whispered, nudging her a little. She drove and I wasn't sure if she wanted to stay the night here or not.

She shuffled awake, rubbing her eyes as she sat up. "That movie was terrible," she muttered tucking her feet underneath her as she pulled the throw blanket off the couch.

"Are we going home?" I asked her, resting my chin on the seat of the couch and looking at her.

She just shook her head and rubbed her eyes. "No? Maybe?" she yawned and glanced around. Nate changed into his pajamas and walked back down the steps. Phantom yawned and moved over and laid his head on my lap.

Hardison ruffled my hair, nearly getting his fingers caught in the process. "Well, yall have fun. I'm out," he said on his way out.

"Me too, should I wake Parker?" Eliot asked Nate, who had reappeared in his pajama pants and t-shirt.

"Leave her. I usually find her here when I wake up anyway," Nate shrugged and waved goodbye to the other two before looking Sophie, Phantom and me. "What about you guys?"

Sophie stretched and finally decided to stand up. "I think we're going home, come on kiddo." Phantom stretched and got to his feet and trotted to the door as Sophie offered me her hand to get off the floor.

"'Night, Nate," I said kissing him on the cheek on the way to the door. He patted my back as some sort of sign of affection as I hooked Phantom's leash on his collar.

I looked back to see Nate and Sophie whispering something to each other. Sophie's face looked a bit concerned, but I didn't want to interrupt. Usually that was frowned upon in our family. Probably in most families, but interrupting each other in mine was grounds for a fight.

Finally Sophie nodded and Nate rubbed her arm before leaning down and kissing her quickly on the lips. I turned away quickly, embarrassed that I had seen their affection.

On our way home, I looked over at Sophie. The same thoughts had been gnawing on my brain since that night. Sophie glanced over at me.

"Yes?"

I quickly looked away and bit my lip. "Nothing…" I muttered staring out the window.

Sophie pulled into the apartment building's parking and opened the door. Phantom and I followed after her. She glanced back at me, but I obviously avoided her eye contact.

She opened the apartment door and let Phantom run ahead of us. As I moved toward my bedroom, I felt Sophie's eyes on me.

"Anna Nicole!" Sophie called, making me stop. Slowly I turned around and looked up at her. She was smiling at me softly. "I've heard using a middle name get a teenagers attention."

She touched my chin and looked me in the eye. "Tell me what's wrong."

I shrugged. "Nothing."

What was I suppose to say? It hurt that my parents were finally together, but not together at all. It made me feel like if something happening that I would be the one left alone in the world.

Sophie grabbed my arm and spun me to face her again. "Anna, tell me what's wrong."

I jerked my arm out of her grip and glared up at her with watery eyes. "I'm scared!" I exclaimed as though the word was completely absurd. "I'm scared! I'm scared! I'm scared!"

She looked at me with concern but with a confused smile. "Sweetie, why are you scared?" she said softly.

Because since they were together, I've felt alone. Walking on egg shells. Like I was waiting for the shoe to drop. I was trying not to scream. Trying to hold back all my terrible emotions. Tears were rolling down my face and I was barely suppressing a tantrum.

"Because!" I screamed slamming my fist into the door frame. "You don't get it!"

I stormed down the hallway and stormed into my bedroom, picking up Teddy and clinging to him. Sophie followed me into my bedroom and sat down on my bed. "I can't if you don't tell me." She remained patient, waiting for me to calm down.

"You're going to leave," I sobbed pulling my knees to my chest. Sophie crawled over to me and stroked my cheek.

"Oh, love, no. I'd never leave," Sophie cooed as I continued crying.

"Then Nate will! You ruined everything. Someone's going to get hurt and leave and I'm going to be alone," I cried pulling Teddy to my face.

Sophie slowly put together the pieces. Anna had seen so many things fall apart in her life that she couldn't help but assume Nate and Sophie's "thing" would end just as badly. Nate and her would be separated and in turn, Anna would be lost. She thought without one, neither of them would want her around.

"No Anna," Sophie said softly, taking her into her arms and holding the teenager. "You're safe."

At least, Sophie wanted to believe that. Anna continued to cry.

"I will make sure you're never alone again," Sophie was crying now. She wanted to save her daughter. She wanted to wipe away the pain, but no one can wipe away history. No one can save her from her own demons but herself.

She scars were on her back, on her hands, the one on her chin. All from a past that Sophie wanted to erase. Physical and emotional trauma haunted her and all she could do was try and show her how far love will take you. How much love can heal.

"I'm right here, and I'm not leaving. I'm never leaving. Neither is Nate or anyone else."

_**So, I'm thinking about doing a chapter in the Emerald Islands. What do you think? **_


	40. Promises

_**So, here's chapter 40! Can you believe it? Me either. Anyway, here ya go! Let me know what you think!**_

Sophie barely slept that night. Anna was curled into her, Phantom rested his head on his paws at the end of the bed as Teddy was held tightly in Anna's hand.

Teddy was like a signal for things getting bad. When Anna first came, Teddy was on every job, any time they weren't out, the bear was close by if not in her hand. Teddy was then left on her bed, then slowly moved to the table beside her bed. Now, the bear was being held so tightly Sophie realized the problem.

Sophie ran a hand over the girls face and kissed her forehead. Tears were rolling down her face as she held her little girl.

She may have been nearly an adult, but she was nowhere near grown up. She was a child in a nearly grown up body. Anna was so much like Parker, but Anna didn't have Archie at the age of eleven. Anna had a much of screwed up role models at sixteen, a history or severe abuse, neglect, abandonment. She lost the only person that cared about her, but Sophie was beginning to pick up on the fact her mother didn't really stop any of it from happening, so really, she was no better than the rest.

Sophie silently wondered if Nate had come to the same conclusions, but she needed to talk to him about it. Maybe they needed a family meeting. A team meeting. Whatever. Something.

When Sophie woke the next morning, she found herself alone in Anna's room. In fact, she found herself alone in the apartment. Phantom wasn't even anywhere to be seen.

Panicked pulsed through her as she grabbed her coat and went to the door, picking up herself along the way. Immediately she called Anna's phone. No answer.

Her heart quickened, and she dialed Nate.

"_Hello?"_ Nate answered sleepily.

"She's gone. Last night she was crying about how she was scared we were going to leave and I woke up this morning and she's gone Nate. She's just gone." Sophie ran to the parking garage and just as she feared Anna's car was gone.

She rushed back into the apartment.

"_Sophie, slow down," _Nate commanded sounding more awake. _"I'll be over in ten minutes, I'll see you then."_

Sophie hung up and ran to her bedroom for a change of clothes. She was going to hop in her car and search the entire Boston area if she had to, but luckily she did.

*Anna*

I pushed the apartment door open and let Phantom in ahead of me.

"Sophie?" I called, laying the bag on the counter and heading toward her bedroom.

Sophie threw open her bedroom door, still buttoning her shirt and looked at me with relief. Immediately she grabbed me and pulled me into her arms and hugged me tight. I blinked. "Hi?"

There was a relieved laugh that cracked from her throat. "Where were you?" she demanded, pulling me out to arms length and glaring at me.

I blinked at her. "I went to get breakfast at that one place, the one with the really good crapes that you like. I'm sorry?"

Again, I was pulled into a hug. "Damn it Anna, you scared me to death," she sighed, not letting go. "After last night, I didn't know what to expect when I couldn't find you and your car was gone."

My cheeks lit up. Last night was, in a word, embarrassing. I didn't want to talk about it. I didn't want to think about it, I didn't want to have to deal with it.

"It's fine. Can we eat?" I asked pulling away and heading for the kitchen. It was plain to see this only concerned her more, but my main goal was to avoid the conversation about what happened last night, about everything I said.

Slowly, Sophie nodded. "Sure."

Just as we put everything on plates, Nate burst through the door and stared us.

"Hi?" I said blankly glancing at sheepish looking Sophie.

Nate looked at Sophie. "I thought you said…"

"I'm here, she just panicked," I muttered offering him my plate, which he politely refused.

I tested the boundaries and moved toward the living room to eat on the couch and watch the Saturday morning cartoons. Sophie cleared her throat and glanced at one of the bar stools. If more than one person was eating, we ate at the bar. Sophie didn't mind a bowl of popcorn or a quick breakfast in the morning being eaten in the living room, but she was actually pretty traditional in where we ate and that the TV was turned off and no cell phones were out. At least when it was her and me.

Groaning, I moved to the bar stool furthest from the two of them, but Sophie kept her gaze on me, even raising her eyebrow at my actions.

It was coming. The "we need to talk" that I was so dreading. As she took a breath to begin her statement, I literally flinched.

"Anna-" Sophie began.

I jumped up from my seat and grabbed my car keys out of the bowl on the counter. "I'm going to Aaron's, see ya later!"

"Anna! Ann-" The door slammed behind the girl, leaving Phantom whining on the rug. Sophie groaned. "At least take you dog!"

Frustrated, she threw down her fork and looked at Nate. "That girl is like a Russian doll; you open one up and there's another inside. Even worse, you have to pry them open and nearly lose a finger in the process."

"She's a teenager," Nate replied shrugging and taking the seat beside her. "She's suppose to be difficult."

Sophie glared at him. "You have no idea how difficult. You aren't here when she goes into tears because she's afraid of being alone. You're never the one who has to get pushed away until she crumbles and clings to you." Sophie rubbed her hands over her face and shook her head. "I think, we sometimes let the front she uses get the better of us. We forget that she's smart enough, mature enough, brave enough to be an adult, but she's too broken to stay in that form forever."

Sophie wanted to make him understand, she wanted to believe that Nate had seen all of it. He had seen the way she used to flinch anytime someone approached her or seen the scars on her back. So many things were holding this girl back and she couldn't fix it. Not by herself. What Anna needed was stability. A constant source of love and discipline. She pushed boundaries just to see if anyone cared enough to push her back.

There was a long silence between them. "You weren't here last night when she cried because she's waiting for you and I to ruin the team and leave. She's so used to disappointment, she expects it."

As many times as they said this wasn't a relationship, it was a relationship. They were too close to not get emotionally involved. The smallest part of Sophie honestly did worry that something would happen and as much as Sophie would hurt, Anna would be the collateral damage. The kids always were. In Anna's case, the damage would be considerably worse than your usual divorced parents.

"Sophie," Nate said softly, looking deep into her eyes, "I'm sorry I wasn't here last night, really. From now on, help me be there. I want to be there for you both."

He looked at her with a gentle smile, one that she couldn't help but return. It was really becoming difficult to not love this man.

*Anna*

Aaron took us to a basketball court down the street from his apartment. He had given up hope actually playing one on one with me and just let me shoot hoops to blow off steam.

"Okay, I don't get it, your parents are sleeping together, so?" Aaron said blandly as I went up for a layup. Eliot and I played about twice a week, so I was surprisingly good for a 5'4 girl. "Hate to break it to you, but they kind of do that."

I dribble that ball back to the free throw line. "They're not together."

"Okay? So? I'm pretty sure even after people divorce they sleep with each other at least once, unless they really, truly hate each other," Aaron replied.

This was another problem, I couldn't explain why this was so wrong to my friend. My double life prevented that.

Sophie was suppose to be my mother and Nate was suppose to be my father. Plain and simple. But not so plain and simple when their relationship is what's driving you crazy!

Finally, I passed the ball back. "You're right. Never mind. I'm just going to go home."

But just as I was about to go, Aaron grabbed my arm. "There's a party tonight. You wanna go?" he asked. "It's going to be a lot more intense than last week, I swear."

"Intense how?" I asked raising my eyebrow.

He grinned. "Just trust me."

Just as I was about to reply, my phone vibrated. _Pack your bags kid, we've got a job._ "Sorry, I'm going out of town tonight actually."

With that, I turned and left. Maybe I'd test out one of these "intense parties" some other time, but I had a feeling that Sophie and Nate were not going to let me go to any more parties anytime soon. Little did I know, things were really about to change.

_**Yeah, it's a short chapter, but I'm about to go into class and I thought I'd update before the weekend of never ending Criminal Justice homework began. Please review!**_


	41. Shipwrecked

_**I would like to thank all my loyal reviewers and readers. I love you all very much and you make me keep writing! **_

So there are a few things that you really don't want to ever have to think of, much less use in a con. One of which is your mother playing a French Heiress on a topless beach. The Emerald of the Caribbean, otherwise known as Montserrat, is an island that takes in a lot of imports in order for the people's survival. Our job was to take down the man who owned all the imports and convince him to lower his prices to a manageable

I stayed behind Eliot while we snuck onto the ship Peter O'Neal was on. O'Neal was extremely superstitious and Sophie did her job of planting the curse in his mind. It was my job to execute the plan, since Parker was breaking into the guys office so Hardison could hack into his bank accounts and clean him out. In reality, I had a feeling my part of the job was one of those times where Nate just wanted to make someone miserable.

As we continued down a hallway, I looked at Eliot. "Give me a boost," I whispered, looking up at the airshaft.

Eliot lifted me so I could unscrew the covering. He let me down long enough for me to hand him the cover. "Be careful kid," he told me, and I nodded.

He lifted my into the airshaft and I crawled on my elbows, carefully lowering myself deeper and deeper into the lower part of the ship. Every other door was locked and had armed gaurds, it was the only way we could get in without alerting anyone that we were on board.

"Okay, I'm in…" I muttered looking down at the passing guards.

"_Be careful Anna, one wrong move and this is over. It's you and Eliot verse the entire ship," _Nate reminded me, as if I had forgotten.

"What would have happened if I would have said I didn't want to do this?" I whispered, swallowing hard as another man walked by.

"_Then I would have sent Hardison and Eliot in," _Nate replied. We all knew how much Hardison hated the water anyway, so it was better if I went. I was a strong swimmer, a decent fighter, and I could make it in and out of places a lot quieter than the two boys. _"But you were the first choice. Why, are you having second thoughts?" _

"I just didn't realize how bad this is going to get…" I replied.

When the coast was clear, I dropped down from the vent, using the wall for a softer landing. I could hear Sophie complaining about her sunburn and Parker commenting on how she didn't see any emeralds.

I crept around the corner to the control room. "Okay Eliot. Lights going out… now."

The confused sounds of the crew came out and I slid on my night vision goggles. Two men were running my way, no flashlight nothing. This was my chance.

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my taser and hit them both in the neck. I was about to kill ventilation, but suddenly something shifted the boat hard and I hit the ground.

"Uh, Eliot. What was that?" I called, feeling around for my taser. This was not going to be good.

"_Okay, Anna, you need to get out of there now," _Nate said, trying to sound calm.

"What just happened?" I asked again, getting to my feet. The emergency lights had come on and the entire place was lit up in red. Suddenly there was another crash and the sound of rushing water. "Um…" I looked down to the water pooling at my feet. "Please tell me I'm not in a sink ship…"

"_Okay Anna, Eliot, we're on our way. Just get out of that ship now!"_

As I sprinted past the crew members, I could tell they were conflicted between getting themselves to safety and stopping a random teenage girl in spandex. Pushing my way past people, I made it into the stairwell.

Water was already a foot deep. The sound of rushing water was loud, but not loud enough to muffle the sound of my squishing shoes or the commands of the Brazilian guards shouting out orders.

As I made it to the top and busted through the doors to the top, two men stopped and stared at me.

"Don't just stand there!" a third one said from further up the deck. "Grab her!"

My feet pumped against the concrete deck. "Eliot, where are you!" I called as tried to figure out my options.

"_A little busy!" _he growled back.

I looked around. Six very large men and one tiny teenager. There wasn't much of a chance for me to fight. I guess that meant swim.

I want to the side of the boat and climbed over the railing. Glancing behind me, I saw the men still coming for me. As I took the deepest breath I could, I dove into the ocean.

"Anna, no!" Eliot called as one of men reach out to grab her and narrowly missed as she dove into the waves.

It was too late though. Anna was already somewhere in that huge body of water, her earbud fried, and no way of finding her.

"_Anna's com just went offline," _Hardison reported in worry.

"Someone want to tell me how a band of Brazilian pirates just raided the ship we were just about to dub as haunted?" Eliot snapped taking out two and throwing them over the side of the ship.

The ship that he was on was sinking, there was no way around that, but he really wasn't wanting to tell them that Anna had just jumped overboard into the ocean. The fact the con they were trying to pull was over and now they were on survival mode.

"Eliot, where's Anna?"Nate asked as he jumped into one of the speed boats, Sophie beside him. Hardison and Parker took another and they were speeding toward the two ships. This was risky for pirates. Rarely do they attack this close to shore, but this was an island that was not exactly doing to hot economy wise.

"_Well, she's somewhere in the water," _he muttered. There were more grunting sounds behind him.

Sophie stared at Nate, but she was not shocked. This was Anna they were talking about. She made cold cut decisions in bad situations, decisions that most people wouldn't survive, but somehow she always came out on top with very little injury, considering.

"Okay, Parker, Hardison, you get Eliot off the boat, Sophie and I will get Anna," Nate commanded and threw the boat into high.

*Anna*

I climbed up the steel latter on the side of the boat that had hit us. Really, my plan was a bit on the sketchy side, but it wasn't awful, per say. But blowing up a ship is usually frowned upon.

Pirates and I had met a few times in the past and I knew how they functioned. They were in it for money and power. If they closed off the waters to the island long enough to raid it, the surrounding Navy's wouldn't be able to stop them. The volcano on the island prevented any immediate retaliation due to safety precautions.

If I destroyed their boat, they were screwed. Their weapons and everything else on board would be ruined and the local authorities would be able to take down some unarmed pirates. Especially if I gave them a little warning.

They had to have had a radio, if not to just find listen in for others.

Most of the pirates were on the offense, so their usual security was down, which meant it was simple to sneak past people into the control room.

One thing Hardison taught me was that our coms were set on a radio transmitter so they could reach where there was no other connection. He taught me how to connect a radio to it once… it was just a matter of remembering.

I turned the radio around and pulled out eh local transmitter. Hardison wouldn't make the connection local, it would just interfere with the signal, but if I connected the local to the satellite and flipped through the channels…

"_I could really use some help us here!" _the familiar growl of Eliot came over the small speaker. I pulled the headset off the top and slid it onto my head, before barricading the door.

"Sup guys?" I greeted, searching the room for what I needed.

"_Anna? How the hell on you on this? You're coms offline?" _Hardison asked as I continued searching for anything I could use.

"You taught me well, Hardison," I reminded him pulling out a thing of large bullets. I grabbed my pocket knife out of my belt and start separating them so I could dump the gun powder into a pile.

There had to be cleaning supplies somewhere close. There was a bathroom just down the hall from the radio. I abandoned the headset for a split second to search it, pulling out everything that may have ammonia in it.

Bombs were not always my thing, but I been taught how to make them by my older brother. I never bothered to ask why I was being taught, or why he knew how to make a bomb, but you never know when skills like that may come in handy.

"Okay guys, Eliot abandon ship, I'm blowing this popsicle stand," I said making a wick out of wax paper so I could at least get a head start.

"_You mean-"_ Hardison began.

"Yeah, I made a bomb. It's not powerful enough to be lethal, but it's enough to where people think it is," I grabbed a cigarette lighter off the table and lit it once with the sliding of my thumb.

"_You are not blowing up a ship that you are on!" _Nate snapped as I rolled my eyes.

"I'm getting out, lighting it in three, two," I lit the paper and pushed everything I had used to barricade the door out of the way and sprinted out the door. Time for dive number two of the day.

My legs were moving as fast as they could toward the side of the ship when I heard my explosion. It was small, just enough to take out the first deck and fill the halls with smoke, but then there was another, and another, each one large than the last.

I dove head first into the water, fire lighting the water as I swam toward the shore and the smaller boats coming my way.

I didn't lift my head from the water until I was sure I was far enough away from the fire.

"Anna!" Nate called several yards out. Relief flooded me and I began swimming toward him. "Anna! Behind you!"

Spinning around quickly, I saw a large man lunge at me, forcing me underwater. He was holding me, both of our heads underwater.

He was wearing some sort of chain necklace and I grabbed for it, before planting my foot on his chest and pushing off of him toward the boat again.

I swam as fast as I could, and Sophie and Nate pulled me up on their boat. The man was still close behind me.

The entire boat was in flames as Nate turned the boat and sped off toward the shore again. "I didn't mean to do that. It was just a small explosion, I don't know what happened!" I told them as Sophie wrapped me in towels and I shivered in wind.

"Everything's fine," Sophie said pulling me around to face forward. "Eliot's on board with Parker and Hardison."

"And Phantom?" I asked her anxiously.

"In the hotel waiting for you. You did good."

No, it wasn't good, but Sophie was going to keep telling me that until she knew I was safe. Nate looked down at me as he pulled the boat into the dock but didn't say a word. There was no expression on his face, and that scared me more than anything. Still, I knew what he was thinking… I could have blood on my hands.

_**So, do you guys want more about the island or do you want me to go straight into the "Cross my Heart Job" (I think that's what it's called, I don't really have time to double check at the moment). Please let me know what you think?**_


	42. Iron Man

_**Originally, this chapter was half what it is now and did not have the Anna/Nate content I desired. Their relationship is a bit difficult to grasp because she's not really a Daddy's girl and Nate has difficulty with positive emotion. So this is my take… **_

Nate!" Sophie tried one last time, as Nate grabbed me by the arm and dragged me into the backroom. The suite we had rented was large enough for each of us to have our own rooms. He forced me to sit down on the bed and he looked at my tear streaked face.

I couldn't look at him, I couldn't look at anything so I just kept my eyes down to my lap and rubbed my thighs up and down against the black wet spandex. People had died because of me, because of a blast.

Nate paced back and forth. Sophie pushed the door open and stared at us, Phantom trotting in behind her. I could hear her whispering something to Nate.

"There were three blasts. Three. One from Anna. Two from where, Sophie?" Nate asked her desperately. He was trying to piece it together, trying to help me.

Sophie put both hands on his arm. "Nate…" Sophie said gently.

"This was not Anna," Nate said firmly. "Anna did not kill those people."

"Nate, all of us want to believe that…" Sophie said softly. I could feel her glance at me and I wanted to cry harder. Her pity made me feel even worse about myself.

"No, I know it," Nate explained. "The ships were way too close to the shore, the attack was meant to be seen, this was set up. All Anna did was confuse someone. She executed a blast and someone execute the others."

It made sense. The explosion I created was suppose to be small. It was small, there was no chance that it could have even damaged more than a twenty foot radius. Finally I looked up. "You're sure?"

Nate looked at me. "Tell me you didn't see that something was off." His eyes were desperate, something I did see very often. He was emotional, he was trying to save me. Slowly I nodded, something was off about the entire thing.

Bending down to look me in the eye, he searched my expression. "We're going to fix this, I promise."

Nate pulled me into his arms and kissed the side of my head. He was going to help me because that's what real fathers do.

Eliot threw open the door and stormed in. "What the hell was that, Anna? Do you even realize-"

My heart dropped down to my stomach as I looked up at him. Immediately he fell silent as Sophie placed her hand on my shoulder and she glared at Eliot. He saw the regret and pain written plainly on my face.

Sophie wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tight, kissing the side of my head as I shivered violently against her. Parker and Hardison both stepped back, knowing that this was a situation for the older members of the team to discuss.

"Parker, stay with Anna, everyone else, we have a job to do," Nate stood up and left the room, Sophie and Hardison following them. Sophie looked me in the eye before closing the door behind her.

Parker moved and took a seat on the bed against me. "Nate and Sophie can fix anything, you know that," she told me, speaking softly and carefully. Comfort was not her strong suit.

"I know," I muttered.

Parker looked at me and reached into her pocket. Finally, she pulled out a cookie wrapped in plastic wrap and broke it in half. Slowly, she offered the bigger half to me and tried to smile. I laughed half heartedly and took a bite of the cookie. Parker had a way of making me feel special.

Sophie looked at Nate. "Okay, what's the plan?"

He kept pacing. "Who would benefit from a pirate raid and an exploding ship?" he asked placing a hand on his chin. "And what kind of pirates we're these?"

Eliot nodded. "That ship didn't look like any pirate ship I had ever seen. And I've never seen a Brazilian ex-military pirate before either." No one even bothered to question it, but it was a very distinctive swimming style.

Hardison stayed quiet, trying to piece all the part of the equation together, but Sophie was ahead of him.

"There were Brazilians on O'Neal's payroll. I remember seeing the names and hearing the accents," Sophie explained thinking back to her and O'Neal's business meeting. It was the least awkward meeting they had considering it was one of the only times he had seen her with a shirt. "You're thinking that my little curse gave him the idea for-"

"Insurance fraud. Yeah." Nate grabbed a marker off the the calmer and started writing on the glass doors looking out onto the sandy beach.

He drew the scene of two boats. Then he made three X's over one of them. Finally, he circled the X near the deck of the ship.

"Anna's blast was small and contained. It was a distraction blast so the 'pirates' thought they were getting hit with fire and fall back. It was logical and even intelligent but then there were two more explosives, one above and one below…"

"You think that they think one of the bombs executed early and they set off the other and the other one ignited… Anna's lucky she got out when she did," Sophie whispered.

She looked toward the room where Anna was. Somehow, someway, that girl always managed to stay two inches away from death. It was a nasty habit Sophie really wanted her to kick, though, she doubted it would happen. This was Anna they were talking about.

"Can't I just kick his ass?" Eliot growled.

"No. Uh. No," Nate said, obviously trying to think of a new plan. "Actually, I have a better idea, Sophie and I will handle this."

"What? No! We're all in this," Hardison pushed.

Nate was tired of this. "The con is over! Now we're doing damage control. We're handing the evidence to the authorities and Sophie and I are handling it."

"You're just going to throw the final punch. For Anna," Eliot said monotone.

Nate wasn't going to admit it aloud, but he was right. He was becoming a man that he liked a lot more than the man he was two years ago.

"We're going to take care of it," Nate went on. He looked at the door that Anna was sitting behind. "Hardison, will you get a location on O'Neal. Sophie, how do you want to play this?"

Everyone looked at him surprised. Yeah, usually Sophie was given more freedom on jobs but this was different. "Today, I'd rather get straight to the point," Sophie said her tone low and her eyebrow raised.

Nate nodded. "Then that's what we're going to do."

The evening was warm, her hair loose on her shoulders as her wedge heels patted softly against the sidewalk. Her netted shirt hung off one of her shoulders and her eyes dark eyes shadowed mysteriously. When she saw O'Neal, a small grin cracked her lips. He was sitting at that outdoor bar, drinking a beer in his swim trunks as though the entire world had been handed to them.

Sophie walked seductively up to him and sat down. "I tried to warn you," she said teasingly, her French accent flawless.

"Ms. Dubois, ya don't see 't do ya? All luc comes wif a lil good an' a lil bad," he told her leaning in toward her.

Sophie laughed at him. "You're an optimistic man," she purred. "Tell me how you did it. How did you make that ship blow up?"

He blinked at her. Of course he would never admit to blowing up that ship, but she made him want to be the person that did blow up that ship. She made him want to tell her.

She batted her eyelashes at him and quirked up the side of her mouth. "Come on, even I know you are an opportunist."

"Ya think sum ship come dis close ta da shore?" he whispered smiling crookedly. "More money made in a houwr den in a ho'e munt."

Sophie placed her hand on the man's thigh and moved it down. "So what was the plan?"

"The ho'e shore as witness. 'lmost look 'ike a 'ero," he smiled. Then he shrugged nonchalantly and leaned into the back of the chair. "Blew 'em up. Two explosions, 'ought 'at first one was a lil unexpected."

"Yeah, you know what else was probably unexpected?" Sophie said suddenly dropping her French accent and glaring at him. "My sixteen year old daughter being on that ship."

O'Neal suddenly looked extremely shocked but Sophie didn't allow him to speak yet, instead she leaned against the table and stared down at him fiercely. "I bet it's also unexpected that I'm not some French Heiress with her hand in the cookie jar, huh?"

"Or you royally pissing me off."

O'Neal spun around and stared at him. Nate was standing with a certain amount of power that seemed dangerous even to Sophie. "The authorities will be coming for you soon for all the people you killed in that explosion. The money from the insurance will be gone and you will be locked in a cell like you deserve."

Then Nate paused and took a step toward O'Neal. Suddenly he went out and struck the man hard against his jaw. "And that's for Anna."

Sophie wanted to add in an extra kick. Instead Nate put his arms around her shoulders the walked down the sidewalk together. Sophie ignoring the stinging of her shoulders and Nate not caring that they weren't a couple.

"So, time to go home?" a small voice asked from behind them as they turned the corner of the block.

They both glanced back to see Anna and Phantom walking behind them. Her hair was tied into a fishtail braid. She wore her blue jean shorts, converse and 80's style shirt that showed a large portion of her stomach.

"Time to go home," Nate replied taking her underneath his other arm and squeezing her shoulder. His girl was looking much more at ease than before. This accident was not her fault and that was most important thing of all.

"After we eat," Eliot added appearing, a bag of groceries under his arm and Hardison struggling to keep up.

"Oo, what are we having?" Parker said also suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

"I also downloaded the latest episode of Doctor Who, so…"

"Okay, so one more night?" Anna said smiling up at them and feeling everyone relatively more relaxed than three hours ago.

"One more night," Nate agreed.

*ANNA*

Sophie was resting her head on Nate's shoulder as laid again Sophie, curled into her side. Nate's hand rested on my shoulder and he rubbed my arm up and down. Our plates were stacked on the floor against the couch.

Sophie was nearly asleep and we had already finished Doctor Who. The others had retired to their rooms. Nate finally stretched, waking Sophie up and making her stretch and sit up. She wrapped her arms around me and held me tight.

"Come on, girls, time for bed," Nate said patting both of us. Sophie extended her hands and he helped her up. She smiled at him, looking him square in the eye. There was something in the way that they looked at each other that told me their none relationship, was not a none relationship at all.

Finally, Sophie turned to me and helped me up. "Bedtime, Anna girl," she said softly, pulling me up and wrapping her arms around me.

She kissed my cheek and gave me one more squeeze. "Goodnight," I told her kissing her cheek in return. Then I moved to Nate and kissed his cheek too. "Night."

I escaped into my room and crawled into bed, Phantom jumping up and laying beside me. Sometime in the middle of the night, Phantom suddenly sat up in alert before relaxing and resting his head on my hip.

There were soft footsteps and the weight of someone sitting on the end of the bed. I was barely awake, hardly able to open my eyes to see Nate sitting there on the side of my bed.

"Is it time to get up?" I muttered sleepily.

He shook his head. "No, go back to sleep, Anna."

I didn't argue. I closed my eyes and hugged Teddy tight to my chest, nearly drifting back off to sleep as I heard him begin to sniff.

"I didn't think I deserved a kid again, and now," his voice crack with tears as he touched my hair. I didn't dare move, Nate didn't like showing weakness in front of people and he most likely thought I was asleep. "I couldn't save Sam, but I will always find a way to save you."

Without another word he kissed my hair and left the room. There was a lump in my throat and a feeling of emotion in my chest as tear started to roll down my face. Iron Man had a weak heart, but it was still able to love.

_**This chapter makes me a bit insecure, so what did you guys think of the content? Please review. **_


	43. Cross My Heart

_**The Cross My Heart Job! Yay! Now remember, we finally get to see Anna in her element! How do you think she'll do? **_

So to top of our horrid job, we had a layover in Cincinnati until our six AM flight back home. Luckly, we had reservations at a hotel up the road, so no sleeping in an airport!

"That job was a disaster…" Sophie muttered pulling on her jacket while Phantom and I stayed close to the group.

"It was a train wreck…" Hardison agreed.

"It was a _ship_ wreck," Eliot growled, but before he could go into further grumblings, Nate cleared his throat to shut us all up.

We were all tired and pretty rough looking. Sophie had even resorted into pulling her hair into a ponytail and called it done. Our summer clothes were packed away and we were back to sweaters and scarves.

"I hate this bloody sunburn. I hate playing the French Heiress on the topless beach," she wallowed.

"Well who would you rather have that roll? Parker sure the hell wouldn't be able to handle that much attention and it's not like we're putting Anna out there," Eliot grumbled.

"Besides, Sophie has the best boobs," Parker added, shrugging. I groaned, wishing she didn't just say that, even if it was true.

Eliot coughed slightly. "I mean, she's not wrong."

Sophie beamed at him. "Thank you, Eliot," she said as though this conversation was not awkward at all. Nate glanced at her, and she shot him a look that I didn't quite understand, but I have a feeling I didn't want to understand either.

"Come on guys, I mean…." Nate said, turning his attention back to the people moving around us. But then he seemed distracted once again. "I mean…. If we wanted…"

Then without another word, he walked off. He moved beside a payphone, but didn't look at the woman who was using it. Instead he looked straight ahead at the airport map. I couldn't tell if he was speaking of not. Sophie took a step closer to me and placed a hand on my shoulder and kept me close.

Eliot rounded the area, ready to come in from an unseen side, taking in everyone and everything in case something happened. Parker seemed to completely disappear and Hardison moved to one of the shops.

Sophie, Phantom, and I moved toward a coffee cart out of sight.

These were precautions we learned we had to take. Sophie handed me a few bucks and pointed me toward the cashier as she took Phantom's leash. "You know what I want, kiddo. I'll be right outside."

Sophie preferred to watch everyone out of the corner of her eye. I ordered her tea and got myself some coffee as well… and a cookie.

Sophie motioned for me as I accepted the drinks. I hurried after her. The entire team met up against the hallway, behind two pillars. We preferred our meetings as private as possible, but that wasn't going to happen here.

"We really can't go anywhere without having to a job can we?" I grumbled, earning a hard nudge from Sophie.

"Okay, so let me get this straight," Hardison muttered. "You were carrying a human heart?"

The woman barely nodded. "I'm the transplant nurse. I was bringing it here from Detroit for a transplant."

"To a 15-year-old boy named Joshua Spin, who lives here in Cincinnati," Nate continued for her.

Sophie looked at him. "Somebody stole a heart?"

"Yeah, and they kidnapped Linda's daughter to get it," he added.

Parker, who seemed to once again just appear, didn't get it. "Well, can't we just get another heart?"

Eliot looked annoyed. "From who?"

"From…" She seemed lost for words and Eliot looked at her like he had proved his point.

Sophie shook her head. "No, Nate, this isn't a job for us. The authorities should handle this."

"There's no time," Nate shot back with surprising force.

"You never want a heart to be outside of a body for more than four hours. It may not stay viable," Linda explained. "It already took over two hours to get here from Detroit."

"Okay, so what are we doing Nate?" I asked him, ready to get this show on the road.

"We have to rescue Linda's daughter, we have to get that heart, we have to bring it to the hospital on our own, under the radar, and we have…" Nate looked down at his watch. "108 minutes to do it or a boy dies."

Sophie put her hand over her mouth. "Well, that's a lot to do in under two hours," she snapped already frustrated with our situation.

"Right. Anna, Sophie, Eliot, and Parker, you're the hands on this one, now go," Nate said brushing us off to go take a look at another map.

"First thing we have to do is get her daughter back," Eliot muttered, mostly to himself.

"Linda already gave them the heart. Won't they give us her daughter back?" Parker asked.

I glanced at her for only a second. "Would you leave witnesses?"

Everyone shut up. I scanned the map. I knew airports. Their security, their protocol, everything. They were pretty much where I lived through my childhood.

"Besides, we rescue the daughter first we use the kidnapper to find the thieves," Sophie laid out.

I looked over at the team. "You guys save the girl, I'm going to get us some supplies."

Reaching into my pocket, I handed Sophie a com and Eliot a com. "I only have three. We don't have any cell phones or credit cards, so I'm going to have to lift everything we need."

"Hardison doesn't even have his computer, thanks to you by the way," Parker added. Sometimes her casual reminders felt more like jabs.

"Okay, I'm sorry I pushed Hardison and he fell into the pool with his laptop. Now let me fix it!" I growled. "At least I had some coms…" Spinning on my toes, I headed down the airport.

"Anna," Sophie called making me stop and turn toward her. She was still holding onto Phantom's leash as she looked at me with complete seriousness. "Please, _please,_ stay out of trouble."

I smiled at her. I couldn't help it. "I'm sorry I always get into so much trouble," I told her, not being able to control my grin.

She grinned at me too and shook her head. She laid a hand on my chin and pulled me toward her, kissing my forehead for a extra few seconds before looking me square in the eye. She shook her head. "What am I going to do with you?"

I laughed out loud. "When you find out, please let me know."

Spinning on my heels, once again I headed down the hallways past the terminals.

Pickpocketing at an airport could be tricky. Most people were in a new place and on high alert. Plus, security was heavy and there were way too many cameras for your average pick. But I didn't have time to care and US airport security was not that scary, considering my history. I could easily talk my way out of anything here.

The key was to target people who were walking. If they were sleeping or waiting for their flight in a terminal, security will notice a thief in no time.

I scanned my surroundings. The mark needed to be in a rush, not very organized, and maybe even lost. There was a man running down the corridor, pulling on his laptop bag and dragging his suitcase haphazardly behind him. He was dressed in an expensive suit and wore glasses.

Lifting someone's cell phone out of their pocket, I began walking toward him, going on in French. Nothing like having a fake conversation in order to smack right into someone. Or better yet…

Keeping my conversation going, I "tripped" over his luggage and took us both down effectively rolling my ankle. "I'm so sorry," I stuttered, using my best French accent.

His glasses had fallen off when he hit the ground. "It's fine. It's fine," he growled. I started stacking everything on his suitcase.

Before he could get up, I slipped his laptop out of its case and into my tote bag. He wouldn't be looking for his laptop for a while, and I was in the clear as I kept my head low and my feet fast, grabbing little stuff out of pockets and purses as I went. Picking out cash, credit cards, anything that may help.

Finally, I pulled out the earbud left in my pocket and slipped it in my ear. "I've got Hardison a computer, some cash, a tablet and three smart phones. Where are you?"

"_The crab restaurant in between gates B12 and 13, we've got the little girl," _Eliot told me. Immediately, I headed in that direction.

As I walked into the restaurant, I noticed Sophie was no longer wearing her jacket, or her black slacks for that matter, and her comfortable flats had been exchanged for a pair of bright red heels. Not to mention her hair was down and fluffed.

I blinked at her. "What the hell did I miss?"

"Sophie used her body to get the guy to let us crash here. Well, her body and cash," Parker said in her matter of fact tone of voice. That was enough information to make me not want to ask for more.

The little girl was clinging onto her mother and Nate was talking in hushed tones to Eliot. I looked down to the plastic gun on the table and reached for it.

"This is new…" I muttered, looking down the barrel at it, through the fish tank.

Eliot snatched it away from me. "Quit playing around."

I glared at him. "I wasn't playing around. Plastic guns have been snuck onto planes since early 2002, but they had difficulty with the power due to the inability to get the average gunpowder through security. There were rumors that someone had created a new type of gunpowder, but the guns were still being tested. This is not just pricey equipment, but prototypes."

Eliot leveled my gaze. "How do you know that?"

"Airport security is kinda my thing," I reminded him. "Not just any old con man can get this piece of equipment. This guy had to have resources."

"Any idea what resources or where?" Nate asked me.

"My dad used to get his supplies from Trale Goodwin. He works primarily out of the Missouri and Illinois down to Texas. He's the only that I can think of with that equipment, but I can double check." Taking a butter knife off the table and slid the thinnest part into the crease of the knife and popped it open. "Goodwin usually leaves some sort of trade mark on the inside of the barrel." Pulling open the barrel, I examined the inside. In silver there was the Greek letter Sigma. Yup, that's it. "First shot burns it away, but it's definitely Goodwin's merchandise." I looked up to Nate. "Does that help anything?"

Nate looked at me. "It just might."

I handed Hardison the computer out of my tote and Nate my ear bud. "I had three in my pocket, Sophie and Eliot have the other two."

Nate patted my back. "Good job."

"I know this stuff," I shrugged.

Never would I have thought it would have come in handy like it was. "Anna, stay close. I may need your help," Nate said before turning back to Hardison.

I didn't really want to admit it, but that was probably the best thing he had ever said to me. I nodded at him. Sophie noticed me perk up and she put her arm around my shoulders.

"Okay Hardison, I need you to hack into the airport security system," Nate told him leaning over his shoulder.

"Already did, but the angle is bad. I can't get a clear shot at him anywhere. The kidnapper may not have been a professional, but this guy is," Hardison reported.

The guy couldn't be going far. The heart was only good for another… 88 minutes. "The guy has to be heading to St. Louis, Kansas City, Chicago, Houston maybe? Those are the only places I can think of that would be in the time range for flying as well as an operation area for Trale Goodwin," I told Nate.

Hardison shook his head. "That's too many variables, not to mention we have the possibility of them having a private flight as well. Face it, we're nearly naked here."

Nate's eyes seemed only more determined. "If we're naked we steal clothes. That's what we do! There's a kid's life at stake here, guys."

All of us became very quiet. This was very personal for him and that could be bad. Things getting too personal makes Nate get a little crazy and then we cross a line somewhere and someone nearly gets killed. That's just how it usually goes.

He knew we were becoming leery. "Alright, alright. Anna got us a computer, what else did you grab?"

Reaching into my tote I pulled out several smart phones, couple hundred dollars in cash, and credit cards. "I just… lifted what I thought we could use…"

Nate nodded. "Okay, we can use that. Now, the best way to figure out who took the heart is to figure out who else needs the heart, so it means we're gonna have to steal the national transplant waiting list."

"You can do that?" Linda asked.

Obviously she didn't have the slightest idea what our team was capable of. I wanted to tell her between the six of us we could probably pull off stealing the moon, but that may have been considered bragging. That's poor manners according to Sophie.

"Yeah, I can do it. I just a good starting point like an IP address or an e-mail, or just something I could use to trace back to their system," Hardison explained.

Nate raised his brows. "An e-mail?"

Sophie was already on in. She extended her hand for Linda's phone. "May I?"

She began dialing a number and held the phone to her ear. In a strong Midwestern accent Sophie spoke. "Oh, hi. This is Jennifer from the Cincinnati Organ Transplant Center. We just got a donor heart in from Detroit and, well, the paperwork's a little awry. We're missing the…"

Sophie pointed to Linda for help.

"The donor history file," Linda offered.

"…donor history file," Sophie repeated. "Could you e-mail us a copy?"

We all sat in silence for a second as the woman spoke.

"Oh, it was," Sophie went on, "but you know how it goes with those little cups on the plane. One bump and whoops! OJ everywhere."

Okay, this was one of those moment where you just have to admit Sophie was just scary good at her job. She rattled off an e-mail for them to send it to and Hardison was already tracing the e-mail back.

"Okay, one national transplant list coming up. Damn this WIFI," Hardison complained. "Can I just say, we are damn good at our jobs!"

I was glad someone got to say it.

_**I didn't want to make this chapter too long so I broke it up. Hope you enjoyed! Please review!**_


	44. What Would You Do For A Heart

_**So, here we go again! Next chapter is going to be a suggestion taken from a reviewer. Hit me with your best shot!**_

The waiter leaned in behind Hardison and gave him a funny look.

"Have a problem?" I snapped making Sophie clear her throat in warning. Sometimes I had Nate's people skills.

He gave me a once over before nodding his head at me and quirking up a smile. "You look a little young to be a colleague," he said almost flirtatiously.

"I'm certainly old enough to know I'm out of your league," I shot back. Sophie may have hit me in the arm, but I'm pretty sure she was smiling. As much as Sophie tried to teach me manners, sometimes she enjoyed my snarky remarks.

Nate pointed at a name on the list. "That's the guy, right there! Dean Chesney!"

"How do you know?" Eliot asked him.

Nate ran a hand over his face. "Corrupt CEO, I've actually had my eye on him for a while but he wasn't much of a threat."

Hardison looked at him. "Why?"

Nate shrugged. "He was dying."

It seemed like such a simple question, let nature takes its course, but sometimes the rich don't let that happen. They buy their chances, they buy more luck.

Dean Chesney. The CEO of a defense contractor, millionaire with a bad heart, in more than one way, his luck just ran out.

He was located in Chicago, right in Goodwin's working area. It was too far to drive, they had to be taking a private plane, which meant a private terminal, which mean we needed access. Nate turned to me.

"Anna, how would you do this?" he asked, taking me by surprise.

I blinked at him, but didn't hesitate. "We need tower access and access to the terminal. Cut off all flights, his back up would be a commercial flight. Let's not give them the chance to get one. This is assuming they haven't already flown out."

Nate gave me a stern look. "We're going to assume they haven't. We have to ground the flight. Hardison, we've got to hack into the tower."

Hardison didn't really want to look at him. "I can't."

This struck the wrong chord in him. "What do you mean you can't?"

I stepped inbetween them. "He can't. It's direct access only Nate. He has to physically be in the tower. We need security access." Then I looked at Hardison. "I need you to draw me a map. Cincinnati's airport is set up with three levels plus public areas."

Hardison nodded and grabbed chalk off the "Specials" board. Never doubt the intelligence and skills of the leverage team. He laid out everything pointing out where we are, where the terminals are, and what color each level was.

"We're gonna have to get out of the public areas of the terminal," Hardison explained.

"As fast as possible," Parker added.

"And without being seen," Sophie punctuated.

The guy by Eliot's feet started making some sort of noise. With a couple hard stomps from Eliot, the guy was out again. Sometimes I just felt bad for anyone who had to deal with that man…

Nate glanced over at Eliot. "You done?" He didn't wait for a reply.

"We're going need badges for the three levels. Each levels gets you better access," Nate explained.

"Level one is your basic backstage pass," Hardison clarified for everyone.

"And the easiest way to get in deeper is by grabbing a shovel…" I said glancing at Nate. Parker blinked at me, not understanding. "If we steal the a level one badge it will be easier to get level two..."

Parker's face lit up in understanding. "Okay, so how are we going to do it?"

I was about to say I could just lift one off of a flight attendant but-

"We're gonna twist Sophie's ankle," Nate offered immediately. I glanced at Sophie and she seemed to completely understand. Sometimes I worried about Nate's sanity, but if Sophie felt it was fine, the rest of us usually didn't argue.

"On it! Give me fifteen seconds," Sophie told Eliot already standing up and heading out the door. I could see Eliot mentally count to ten before walking out after her. Then Nate looked at me.

"Go help Sophie," he said plainly as Parker somehow disappeared.

Nate laid his head in his hands and exhaled. I wanted to comfort him. His eyes were distant, blank. Sophie was better at putting Humpty Dumpty back together again, but I thought I'd at least show him that I needed him too.

I took a seat beside him and nudged him with my shoulder. "Nate, we'll get him. I promise. The little boy will be okay," I told him.

He didn't look at me. "He's not a little boy to you, he's a year younger than you."

So many unsaid things were hanging in the air. This was why Sophie handled Nate, because she knew his pain and she knew how to protect him. Nate gave a lot, in ways that even the team didn't realize. He could be a selfish bastard, but when his team needed him, he'd be there. Always.

Without another word, I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face in his shoulder. I wasn't sure how long I stayed like that until he wrapped his arms around me and held me close.

Opening my eyes, I saw Sophie looking at us. Her eyes teary, but a small smile. Finally I pulled away from Nate and gave him one of my classic invincible smiles. I moved toward the waiter and looked at him. "Can I get some French fries?" I asked the guy.

He gave me an odd look, but nodded. "So who are you guys anyway?"

"Just people," I said shrugging, purposefully being mysterious.

He didn't seem satisfied with that answer but disappeared to the back. Nate moved to the computer on the bar and opened up Joshua Spin's About Me page. Sophie slowly moved toward us.

He didn't have to look to know she was there. "I know what you're gonna say," he muttered.

Sophie shrugged and moved around to the opposite side of the bar. "I think you should have a drink."

Nate looked at her surprised. "Okay, I guess I didn't know what you were going to say."

Getting out two small glasses and pushing my Sprite closer to me, she poured Nate and herself some scotch. "Look, we don't like it when you drink, but we trust you when you do." She leaned toward him, bracing herself on her elbows. "We both knew this was gonna get personal. We need you to stay clearheaded. You let it get to you now, it's gonna go bad for all of us." With a quick glance Sophie gave me a half hearted smile. "Anna, sweetie, will you please give Nate and me a minute."

Anna nodded and hopped down from the barstool, giving the two adults as much privacy as possible.

Nate swallowed hard and didn't lift his head to look up at Sophie. "Listen, that kid, Joshua Spin, 15 years old, he's waiting in a hospital bed for a heart that may never come." There was a short silence and Nate shifted uncomfortably before finally snatching up the glass of liquor. He exhaled hard.

"Sam would have been 13 this year, Soph," he told her, his voice catching slightly. "A teenager," he choked covering his mouth with his fist as tears threatened to fall. "Almost a man. I mean, you know, probably a big pain in the ass, but…"

The lump in Sophie's throat made it hard for her to choke out a laugh. She reached for his hand and squeezed.

"Joshua Spin is getting out of that hospital bed," he told her, as though he was never so sure of anything else in the world. Joshua Spin would play baseball again and get to go to college. Joshua Spin would live.

All Sophie could do was nod as he ran a hand over his face and slammed his fist hard on the counter. Yet, she didn't let go of his hand, in fact, he entwined their fingers and pressed her soft skin to his lips. Nathan Ford would be sure that this kid got to live.

*Anna*

Linda looked over at me. "They must really care about each other," she whispered, also witnessing the tender moment between the two other adults.

"You have no idea," I mumbled in reply, smiling slightly.

"Okay, we almost have the heart," Nate told Linda and me as Sophie came around the counter again.

Linda smiled as we walked toward him. "I don't know how to thank you Mr. Ford, I feel like this is all my fault."

"You did was any parent would do, you saved you kid," Nate told her.

Nate smiled at me and ruffled my hair. I was pretty sure there were plenty of times where it would have just been easier to cut their losses with me, because, I will admit, I tend to cause some extra problems, but it was nice to know that they'd always save me.

Suddenly Nate's face dropped and he looked at Sophie. "Okay, they're going to their back up plan. Which would be-"

I looked at him in horror. "The commercial flight!"

Nate took off running out the door only to return a few moments later.

Sophie and I were on either side of him as he picked up a phone and began dialing. Sophie watched him in horror as I munched on my French fries. His blue eyes were haunted as he spoke.

"Mr. Chesney," Nate said extremely calmly. Sophie on the other hand seemed completely distraught and I nearly choked on my fries. "My name is Nathan Ford. I have your heart. If you want it, I want a million dollars for it, now."

With that, he hung up the phone and laid it beside the computer. Sophie and I stared at him with horror. Sophie looked nearly beside herself as her eyes turned to daggers. "Are you insane?"

"Nate! What did you do?" I croaked my heart jumping to my throat.

He ignored us. "Eliot, someone at that gate is about to receive a phone call. Whoever it is, that's our guy."

"That was what I was talking about! You just told the mark we're after him," Sophie exclaimed as I continued staring in horror, thinking of the hundreds of ways this could go from bad to worse.

"No, no. He knew we were onto him as soon as we grounded his plane." Nate brushed it off as it was nothing.

"You gave him your name!" Sophie said desperately, leaning toward him trying to get him to understand how bad he just made this.

Nate didn't look at her. "I want him to know my name…"

When we learned the man was already boarding the plane, our scenario went from bad to worse. We needed to get the heart off the plane, but there was so few ways of doing that now. Except for…

"A tornado warning!" Nate and I said at the same time.

"Anna, Sophie, you know what to do," Nate said handing us each a phone.

Sophie and I convinced the national weather service that there was a tornado warning, now it was just a matter of getting the heart. Which, was taken care almost immediately after the man got off the plane. Yeah, Parker was crazy, but sometimes she made things entertaining.

Nate looked at Sophie. "Got the heart?" he asked her as Linda and her daughter followed me out of the restaurant and Hardison appeared out of a doorway.

Sophie handed him the cooler and we were on our way. We still had to get to the hospital fifteen minutes away. Of course, there was an ambulance waiting to take us there. Nate very suddenly punched out the paramedics, making some sort of mumble about being Chesney's guys before we floored it to the hospital.

Joshua Spin got his heart. We saved a boy's life. Nate saved a boy's life went he couldn't save his own son.

We all looked through the window at the frail and fragile fifteen year old boy who was getting a second chance at life. His parents stood by his bedside, tears of joy streaming down their faces, knowing how lucky they were that their son was going to make it.

Parker was the first to speak. "What do you think Chesney's doing now?"

Sophie smiled and squeezed my shoulder. "Probably firing his man."

"Yeah, well, they're just lucky they're not in jail," Eliot grumbled.

Sophie shrugged. "Can't shine a light on them without getting caught in it ourselves."

"Yeah, but, I mean, we did do some pretty illegal things," Hardison added.

I smiled to myself. "Hardison would get life, the rest of us could probably get off pretty light," I told them making everyone, except Hardison smile. He glared at me. "I mean, come on, you broke into the Tower. The Eliot would maybe get a couple years, Parker, yeah, they'd never catch her. Sophie and Nate pretty well kept their hands clean. I just pickpocketed some people. Which, I'd get away with. But once people realized who we were, yeah, we'd be screwed."

Everyone just kind of laughed it off. Except Hardison. He always took things hard. "Why does she always have to diss me?" Hardison asked hitting Sophie on the shoulder.

She hissed in pain and glared at him. "Sun. Burn," she hissed at him with deadly force.

Eliot smiled and nudged Hardison. "Let's go."

Parker followed the two boys, but Sophie, Nate and I stayed behind until Sophie gave me a nudge. "Go on, we'll be behind you in just a second."

Sophie and Nate both watched Anna follow behind the others. Considering what she had been through just days earlier, she was really bouncing back. Nate and Sophie both chuckled a little as she threw an arm over each of the older boys, the boys she barely came up to their shoulders on, and tossed them each a grin.

Sophie glanced over her shoulder. "You did it, Nate."

He slowly moved toward her and gazed through the glass. Sophie kept her smiled and slid her hand over his. "You save him."

Sophie's heart melted as Joshua Spin looked over at the two of them and gave them a smile. They truly did something good, something amazing.

"Would you steal a heart if you knew it would save Anna?" Nate asked not looking at her.

Sophie glanced at him. "In a second."

Nate glanced at her. "What if it was going to someone else's kid?" he asked.

Sophie didn't hesitate. "Nothing would stop me from saving my daughter."

Nate squeezed her hand. "I said that same thing about Sam, but sometimes fate has a whole other plan."

The thought of something happening to Anna that Sophie couldn't stop made her feel physically ill, but she understood. For the last three years, Nate felt like he failed. Over and over again the pain of losing his child was rubbed into his face.

"Nothing is going to happen to Anna. There's five of us to make sure of that," Sophie pressed, partially reassuring herself as well.

"I know," he said giving her a small smile.

Late that night, Nate found himself focused on a small ship as he forced his pain in another direction. Sophie and Anna were home safe, he could relax. Then his phone rang. Nate picked up his Bluetooth and answered.

"Well, well. I was wondering when I might hear from you," Nate said blandly.

"How's your boy, Mr. Ford?" Chesney asked, his voice heavy with tired breaths.

"He's not my boy." Nate was not interested in this conversation.

"So, now what?" Chesney pressed. "You can't report me without exposing yourself. And what's to stop me from trying again?"

Nate added a piece to the boats deck. "I am." He picked up a remote and turned on the monitors. All six screens were of Chesney. He was laying in a hospital bed but in the comfort of his home. "I'm watching you. I'm watching your money, your people, your company." He waited a moment, barely glancing up at the screen. "What have you got there, a pulse rate of 86?"

Chesney immediately glanced at the monitor, before glancing around the room he was in.

Nate smiled. "Oh, look at that. Just jumped up to 104. That can't be good for you." Nate looked back down at his ship. "Make your peace now, Chesney. Because if I see anything, anything, I don't like…"

He let Chesney fill in the blanks of how horrid Nathan Ford could make his final days.

"Well, Mr. Ford," Chesney said weakly, "it seems you've killed me after all."

Nate didn't feel the reaction. "Oh, I didn't kill you. God killed you." He paused, smiling slightly. "I just… made sure it took…"

_**So there you go! Let me know what you think and give me your idea for chapter… 45? **_


	45. Poker

_**Okay, so I really love this chapter and I have a feeling you all will too. I chose what I had the most requests for, but Allanna, you're requests will be given to you eventually. Plus Tara comes in like… 2? Episodes. You have to tell me if you're digging this chapter as much as I am.**_

Anna looked at Nate across the bar with her big brown eyes in full puppy dog mode. She pouted her lip just enough so that the look would look effectively sad but not over the top. He kept a stone face while he stared back at her.

"And why do you want the money?" Nate asked finally, making her ditch the sad face and sigh.

This is what she had to go through when Sophie's not around and she wanted money for anything. "Forget it," she snapped leaning in toward him. "I'll steal it."

Without another word she pushed off the bar and headed for the door when Sophie appeared.

"And where are you going?" she asked her daughter who glared over her shoulder at Nate.

"Can I please have some money? There's a really cute shirt down at Roxy's!" the girl explained this time not bothering to use the puppy dog eyes. Her mother understood the need to buy the perfect shirt far more than her father.

Sophie reached into her purse and handed her some bills. Several more than she needed. "Pick me up something too. You know my style, surprise me."

With that, Anna kissed her mother's cheek and disappeared out the door. Nate gave her an incredulous look as she sat down across from him, her eye teasing and her body language almost like a lioness on the prowl.

"Why would she just tell me what she wanted to buy? I would have given her the money then," Nate said taking his eyes off of her for just a second to glance at the door.

Sophie frowned at him. "As much as Anna trusts us, she's still extremely secretive." Then she shrugged at him. "I think most of all she strives for your approval beyond all else. Maybe she thought you wouldn't approve."

Nate looked toward the door again. "That's why she told me she'd just steal it," he muttered. Then he looked back at Sophie. "Like you stealing the diamond of Claymore." Her eyes lit up and twinkled at him. "Cyprus."

Sophie shook her head. "No, no. I did not steal that necklace in Cyprus. It was Venice. How could you forget that?" She was extremely playful, leaning into him as she smiled. She wanted him to kiss her right then. "It was _Carnevale_. The masks, the gondola chase."

Nate pretended he didn't notice. "Venice…" he said dreamily, taking sip of his scotch. "The green dress."

Suddenly Sophie was fifteen again as butterflies filled her stomach. "You do remember."

He leaned toward her. "Only the details that matter."

Normally, Sophie would have suggested them taking this upstairs, but Anna was out and she was comfortable. Her eyes twinkled into his. "Are you going to kiss me or what?" she asked leaning into him, her voice barely even a whisper.

He leaned into her, connecting their lips. It was not a hungry kiss, not really, but it was definitely powerful. They broke apart long enough so that Sophie could sit on the counter and spin her legs around to where Nate was standing inbetween them. His hands were on her waist as he held her close and she ran her hands through his curls.

The kiss quickly became more passionate and longing. It was starting to look like they may have to take it to the backroom when they heard the chimes on the door.

Sophie and Nate quickly separated. Red faced with bruised lips, Sophie looked down and away as Nate looked around her. "Sorry, we're-"

The sound of a gun cocking silenced him, but he didn't look concerned as a man in a black suit and tie blocked the door. Nate glanced at the door to the back room to see a man closing him and Sophie off behind the bar. Well, this was disappointing.

An instant later James Sterling walked through the glass door. "Hello Nathan," he said with his usual heir.

Sophie hopped down from the bar and glared at the man.

"Sorry to interrupt," Sterling added taking note of the two adults' states.

"Sorry if I dial Eliot," she shot back with deadly force. Any man who says they aren't afraid of Sophie Deverueax is lying, Sterling was no exception.

Nate was just about to tell Sophie to go ahead upstairs and wait for him when the door chimed again.

*Anna*

"Okay," I growled, pushing through the door, holding up the bag I had gotten. Roxy's was just around the corner and unlike Sophie, it didn't take me long to get what I want and leave, at least when I knew what I wanted. "I wasn't sure if you'd like the blouse or the jacket more, so I just got you both."

Realizing that I had just walked into a very tense room. I glanced around the room until my eyes fell on a man standing across from Nate and Sophie. My eyes lit up as I dropped the bags and bolted across the room and threw my arms around his neck.

"Jim!" I cheered happily giving the familiar face a hearty hug.

James Sterling was shocked, but returned the hug. He smiled at me. "What are you doing here?" he asked as I let go. "You've grown a foot!"

I looked over at Nate and Sophie who seemed more horrified and confused than anything else. Sophie moved around the bar and put both hands on my shoulders, pulling me away like James Sterling was dangerous.

Nate also moved around toward us and stared at me and Sterling. "You two know each other?" he asked confused.

Sterling stared at him. "You know her?" he asked pointing at me.

I looked at both of them. "You know each other?" I blinked. "What's going on?"

Nate and Sterling were both glaring at each other and Sophie pulled me back a bit more. "Anna, how do you know Sterling?"

"When I was in Egypt he saved me from getting thrown into a cell when they found me with an artifact," I told them, confused as to why Nate and Sophie seemed ready to jump down Sterling's throat and rip out his tonsils.

Sterling looked as though he was recalling the day. "You were, what, nine then?"

"Eight," I told him giving him a smile. I didn't mention I still got the piece out, but he probably knew that. "When I was ten, I ran into you in Prague and you took me for icecream. You never turned me either. Every time you caught me."

Nate looked at him surprised. That was the James Sterling he knew, I could read that plainly on his face.

Sterling glared at Nate. "What did you do? Are you in the field of recruiting children now?" he snapped at him, looking over at me.

That was about the time I realized I may have a war on my hands. I looked at Nate wearily as he took a threatening toward Sterling. "You're the one that let her go back to that place, you never even stopped Moretti."

Sophie put both arms around my shoulders and hugged me to her. "So instead of giving her a normal chance at life you made her a criminal," Sterling pressed back.

"She was raised a criminal, something that could have been stopped if you would have done something when she was a child!" Nate shot back so harshly that his hissing.

Swallowing hard, I looked between the two men. "Nate, really it's okay," I told him. "Jim, Nate and Sophie take care of me. The entire team does. Sophie's my mom and Nate's like my father." I smiled at Sterling, desperately trying to get him to understand just how much I cared about these people. "We have a dog too."

Sterling didn't look at me, just kept glaring at Nate. "How domestic."

"Soph," Nate said without taking his eyes off Sterling, "take Anna upstairs."

Sophie looked down at me, and I didn't fight her as she led me to the door. As we moved up the corridor to Nate's apartment, I bit my lip.

"You guys don't like him, do you?" I muttered.

"Not at all, and we're not Sterling's favorite people either. He's nearly ruined a few of our cons before," Sophie explained turning the door knob to the apartment. She stopped before she opened the door though and turned to me. "Why didn't Sterling save you all those years ago?" she asked me. "Why didn't he take you away from your father and give you a safe life?"

"I had to go home," I told her. "My mother was home."

Sophie didn't open the door. Her hand put her hand on my face and stroked my cheek. "I don't want you to stay for anyone but you, do you understand? If you would rather live a normal life, you can live with Maggie."

"I wanna be here!" I assured her.

Sophie smiled. "Good."

The next day we were on a plane to Dubai. Nate was planning on playing chess at some chess tournament while Sophie and I posed as his doting family. Sophie was dressed in a dazzling purple and silver dress and a charming sun hat while I wore a crème colored dress with a white sash and flower around my waist and as well as a matching burette pinned in my hair.

I already could tell this was not going to be fun. Chess was not my thing.

"It's like prom night for nerds…" Sophie said as though it may have been cute.

"And Nate's one of them," I teased sticking my tongue out at him.

Sophie hit me in the arm with her clutch but laughed too. Nate pointed ahead. "There's the mark. Livingston."

A man in his late forties took center stage, holding the microphone. Who I noticed though was the girl who looked about my age dressed pretty much as a baby doll. She had golden blond hair that was pinned halfway back and a dress that looked like it may have been designed for church. It was cute, but not very stylish.

"Anna, I want you to get close to Livingston's daughter," Nate told me nodding at her. "Be her friend and keep a close eye on her. "Her name is Olivia."

Two guards escorted her around, but I didn't look like a threat. Our goal was to steal a weight so it couldn't get into the hands of a terrorist. Nate looked at me. "Now, I need you to be a charming trouble maker," he said carefully. "If you get Olivia into _harmless_ trouble, Livingston focus will be places other than the weight, understand? But we also need to keep her in the tournament as a precaution."

I nodded. "Should I introduce myself now?"

Sophie nodded and I made my way through the crowd until I nearly ran into her. "Oh, I'm sorry," I said sweetly. "Oh, you're Olivia aren't you?"

She gave me an odd look, almost smug. "Yes, are you a fan?"

I shrugged. "Truthfully, no. I'm not much into chess. This is more of my dad's thing," I glanced over my shoulder toward Nate and Sophie. Tilting my head slightly, I gave her a mischievous grin. "I'm more of a poker kind of girl." I offered her my hand. "Amelia Jensen."

Olivia her eyebrow and didn't except my hand. "If I had to guess, I would say you're no good at thinking ahead, but you're better at lying, that's why you play poker." There was a tone in her voice. I could tell she didn't want to be friends.

Keeping my cool, I studied her. "And you don't have many friends so you play games that only take two people. Does your dad play with you or does he hire someone to do that?" I pressed back, giving her half a smile.

"_Anna, whoa. What are you doing?" _Nate demanded sounding almost worried.

She took a step toward me. "First of all, it's stepdad. Second of all, I could probably still beat you at poker."

My body language was turning dangerous and sinister. There was no threat of me hitting her, but I was enjoying her little game. "And I could probably beat you at chess."

Truthfully, I could tell we were already dangerously alike. I think Nate realized it too.

We leveled up to each other, staring each other over. Both her security guards looked confused and concerned about what to do, but if they touched me Eliot would be on them in a second. Finally, I gave her a cold smile. "We're not going to be friends are we?"

She shook her head. "I have a feeling we'll be fun rivals."

I nodded curtly at her. "May the best player win," I told her.

"You have no idea how long I've been playing chess," she told me.

I could only laugh as I spun on my heels. "You have no idea how long I've been playing poker."

_**Like fathers like daughters! Please review!**_


	46. Checkmate

Alarms blared as people were rushed toward the exits. Sophie had already been pulled away due to her assisting in Nate's cheating his way to the championship, which he lost against Olivia. Pushing my way through the crowd, I cursed myself for choosing heels.

Nate was twenty feet in front of me, my original plan was to go to him, but after he landed a punch square in Livingston's face, I chose a detour.

One thing Nathan Ford does not want people to know: he's really bad at improvising. The short con just wasn't his cup of tea.

I was moving swiftly though the groups of people rushing for the door, when I caught sight of Olivia being pushed into a closet by her security, locking the doors behind her. For a moment I considered just letting her sit there until someone found her, but then my conscience got the best of me. Groaning aloud and rolling my eyes, I pulled two bobby pins out of my hair and picked the lock with ease.

"Don't ever say-" I blinked to see Sterling embracing my newly decided eternal rival. My jaw dropped. "Okay, didn't expect that one."

"Olivia is Sterling's daughter. How could I have not seen it? I mean, they have so many of same traits. Narcissistic, egotistic, and just plain arrogant. Why didn't I see this?" I rambled aloud, my thoughts quickly becoming my words before finally looking up at Sterling. "That's why you always helped me out, because I reminded you of your daughter…"

"Anna," he began, seeming rushed now as he and Olivia moved through the door. I followed behind him. "You can come with us."

I knew the entire team could hear this conversation, after all, I still had my earbud. Olivia gave her father a incredulous look. "What? No!"

Sterling shushed his daughter as the bolted for the door, pausing for just a moment to look back at me. "This time I agree with Olivia," I replied shaking my head slightly.

Sterling looked at me, before stopping and touch my cheek. "You're better than a thief, Ann."

Without another word, Sterling was off to the parking lot as I just stood there. Nate sped past me only a moment later. "Come on!" he shouted at me as he quite literally jumped into a Ferrari that another man had just got out of. Of course I followed after him.

Jumping into the passenger seat, Nate demanded for me to buckle up as we took off like a bat out of hell. My nails dug into the interior as the car roared fiercely and my body was forced back into the seat. I complained about Nate's driving on a regular basis about how it made me car sick, but the first time he made a turn I was positive the tan colored carpet in the car was not going to be tan much longer.

"Jeeze Nate!" I screeched as he shifted the car higher and jerked the car beside a black SUV. "How much have you drank today?"

He didn't reply, only drove faster until he was about fifty feet infront of the SUV and hit the brakes, jerking the wheel so the car would effectively cover both lanes. I squeezed my eyes closed, so ready for Sterling to not be able to stop in time. Yet, in some miracle, he did.

Nate stepped out the vehicle, staring at Sterling with confidence. I one the other hand, pushed the door open and tumbled out. There was not a single ounce of grace in my motions. Part of me wanted to kiss the concrete and send a prayer to the heavens. Nate may have faith in Nate, but I don't always.

"You gonna leave without saying goodbye?" he asked Sterling, adjusting his jacket and leaning coolly against the side of the red sports car.

Sterling moved toward Nate, glancing past him to check on me. As usual, Nate didn't wait for a reply. "So when did it become so easy for you to lie?" he pressed, challenging Sterling character. The one that thought it was morally Godly.

"I had to get my informant out," he explained, sounding nearly apologetic but not quite. "When Olivia's mother died, she toned on Livingston, fed INTERPOL everything we needed."

"Stop insulting me, Sterling," Nate snapped viciously. "I knew she was the informant before the first match."

Yes, he was fed up, but I think he was also a little hurt. In an odd way, I honestly think Sterling and Nate are friends. They're so much alike it pains me to see them actually at each other's throats. Their interactions were always tense, but usually it had a sort of understanding that as brilliant as they both were, sometimes they needed to work together.

Nate met Sterling's gaze. "Did you really think I wouldn't figure out she was your daughter?"

For a short moment, Sterling looked ashamed of holding it back. Nate would have helped him get his kid back if he would have asked. So why didn't he? I looked up at the two men. They were so similar, then again isn't the black king and the white knight? The only true difference these men had were what hat they were wearing.

"You used us. You lied to me. You manipulated the team." I could tell Nate's jabs were honestly hurting Sterling and part of me wanted to protect him, but I had chosen my side already. "Come on, I just want to know why you wouldn't tell me."

Sterling leveled up. "Would you have come to Dubai if I had?"

I wanted to say that of course we would have. Even to save a snot nosed little brat like Olivia, but it wasn't my place. I, sometimes, took my cues to keep quiet.

But Nate didn't answer that question. "No, no, Jim. I'm talking about before that…" Nate said sadly. "When we were friends. You had a wife and a daughter and I didn't know. Why?"

Sterling looked away from him. His eyes became distant as he stared into nothing. "'Cause it's my fault that they left." He swallowed hard, and looked at Nate. "And I knew it."

Suddenly the door opened and Olivia rushed out of the car. Sterling tried to make her return to the vehicle, but she wasn't having it. I rounded the car and stood next to Nate, feeling like if she got a say in the argument, so should I.

She glared at Nate, taking threatening steps toward him but staying protectively beside her father. "He didn't have a choice! It's not safe here!" Her voice was etched in pain. "I was in danger and he's my dad. What wouldn't you do to save your kid?!"

I put my hand on Nate's arm and hugged to him as Sterling stopped his daughter. "Olivia," he pleaded. The rest of the sentence wasn't there, but we all heard it as Sterling looked empathetically toward Nate. _Olivia, you don't know what he's been through. _

That's right. She didn't. I glared at her, but Nate didn't. He just glanced at her as her words hit him. He then looked down and away, realizing that maybe he deserved that. That maybe he should have seen this like a dad.

"Nate's right," I told Sterling, still holding onto his arm. "We would've helped you. I would've made them!"

Olivia gave me an odd look and I met her eyes. "We don't have to be friends," I told her. "But we shouldn't act like enemies. Plus, your dad helped me many times before."

"But you didn't know about Anna being with us," Nate added. "Why'd you come to me?"

Everyone looked at Sterling for the answer as his mournful soul was plainly present in his eyes. "'Cause you're the best thief I've ever seen. I couldn't risk anything less."

Nate nodded before reaching into his pocket and offering Sterling something.

"What is it?" Sterling asked as both men went back into their usual stone composures as though nothing has just happened. Olivia both exchanged looks as though they were crazy. Tears were running down both of our faces silently.

"It's a name," Nate replied plainly. "Give me everything you got on him. Everything." With that he turned back to the car and nodded for me to follow. "You do that, I'll make sure Eliot doesn't know where to find you."

Sterling held the paper questioningly. "This makes us even… right?" he called after us.

Nate put an arm over my shoulder and shook his head as we walked down the streets of Dubai to meet the van at the corner when Olivia called out to me. "I think this means I beat you at poker."

I turned around and looked at her. "I don't think s but, by the way," I took a few steps toward her and handed her a picture of her and her dad when she was younger, "checkmate."

As I spun back around Nate didn't look at me, but he had a proud fatherly grin on his lips. "Good job, kid," Nate told me as he squeezed my shoulders.

I knew Olivia was Sterling's daughter from the moment she first opened her mouth to me. She had her father's features written all over her face, not to mention, James Sterling was no grifter.

Grinning slightly to myself, I shrugged. "I learn from the best."

We were home by nine the next night. All of us sitting in the bar, Phantom enjoyed his masters being home while the rest of us devoured Chinese food.

Eliot was pissed. He kept glaring at nothing as he gripped his beet righter. "I'm not letting Sterling slide on this," he muttered.

Granted, I knew that the next time Eliot Spencer saw Sterling, he may end up in a body bag. You don't drug Eliot and expect to be able to walk again. Even after hearing all the details of Sterling saving his daughter, Nate couldn't convince Eliot to let it go.

Parker on the other hand didn't quite seem as down. "Well, at least I got to jump off a building that was like eight building on top of each other." Then she looked at me. "You and I should do it again this summer!"

Sophie gave her a look, but didn't say that I couldn't.

Eliot glared at her. "Good for you. I'm not letting him slide."

"Guys, a father reunited with his daughter," he looked across the table. "Take the win."

Sophie scoffed. "Win? Sterling beat us, again."

"I really want to hear about the other times!" I tossed in there, but of course everyone ignored me.

Nate looked at her. "Livingston was holding Olivia prisoner. I mean, what father wouldn't do what Sterling did?"

"Mine," I muttered.

"Mine," Parker added.

"Mine either," Eliot grumbled.

"Nana might, but Dad? Nope."

But then I shrugged. "Nate would've," I added, looking around the table at the other faces of the team. We came from backgrounds that didn't know what love was like. "You would've done that for any of us, right?" I asked him.

Like four kids, we all looked at Nate, waiting for the answer. His face turned the slightest color of pink as he shrugged. "I mean, yeah."

Parker shrugged. "I mean, I get it, but did he also have to make us lose? I mean, they got the nukes."

A little smile appeared on Nate's lips. "Who said we lost?"

Once again, he had everyone's attention. "It turns out, when you spin an improperly calibrated centrifuge it tends to…" he showed us a picture of a news cast with buildings destroyed in the background.

"Explode," Hardison finished for him.

We all gave Nate a questioning look. "You see, Sterling wanted a team he could trust that would create a distraction for Olivia's escape and also smart enough to keep the nukes out of the terrorists' hands. So, he got us."

In an odd way, I could tell that it did make the team feel special.

Sophie, who had already had quite a bit to drink, laid down her glass with a bit of extra force. "So, what, the salt was plan B?"

Nate shook his head. "No, no. That's plan M."

Hardison looked concerned. "Don't I usually die in plan M?"

"Yeah, usually. Yeah," Nate replied as if it was nothing.

I glanced in horror around the table to him. "Wait what? You plan our deaths?"

"Wait a second!" Hardison snapped, holding his hand out to shut me up. "How many plans do I die in?"

Nate chuckled nervously. "C, F, and M through Q."

Hardison looked horrified. I on the other hand watched as though it was a tennis match as I stuffed beef lomane in my mouth. "Oh, see, that's a little close to home man. Need to switch that up!"

Sophie gave him a sympathetic look, but it only lasted for a second while Parker shrugged as though she didn't really care.

"How many plans does Eliot die in?" Hardison asked.

Nate pointed at Eliot. "Uh, none." Then he pointed at Parker. "None." Next he pointed at me. "None, if she doesn't kill herself." I stuck my tongue at him as he moved to Sophie which he kinda waved off before looking back at Eliot. "So there is a plan where he comes out of it with a scar that goes from the temple through the eye…"

Parker and I bother jumped up. "Oh my gosh! You'd look so cool with a scar!" I exclaimed. "You could look like Nick Fury! I'd get you an eye patch!"

Hardison looked proud of my reference, while everyone else seemed confused.

Sophie turned to Nate. "Wait a second, you never answered, how many plans of yours do I die in?"

Nate kept ignoring her while talking about how cool Eliot would look with a facial tattoo. Finally, she hit him in the shoulder with enough force to gain his attention.

"Well there's this one plan evolving…" Nate began while Sophie glared at him.

"That's creepy! Isn't that creepy? He's planning my death," Sophie complained shaking her head.

I shrugged. "Not really, it's kinda his job."

Sophie looked at me as though I was crazy. "Please don't feed into his God complex."

"You all are hopeless!" I complained before finally standing up and kissing both Nate and Sophie on the cheek. "I'm going to go crash on your couch," I told Nate as I snapped my finger for Phantom to follow.

Eliot was the next to leave, followed by Hardison and then Parker. Finally it was just Nate and Sophie sitting in the bar, completely alone. She smiled at him, that same flirtatious smile she has and he immediately knows what she's thinking.

"I do believe this is where we were interrupted last time," she whispered to him, leaning into him.

Nate couldn't help but smile back at her. "I believe you're right," he replied, taking her into his arms and gently kissing her lips. He loved the feeling of them. So warm as inviting as her soft hands held his face. But it wasn't turning hot and heavy like he expected it to, Sophie was keeping it calm.

"Does it bother you at all that history is repeating itself?" she asked him as she leaned into him and he folded his arms around her waist. It was a very caring position. The back of Sophie's head resting near his chin. He could smell her fruity perfume as he traced circles on her hand that he only just realized he was holding.

"What do you mean?" he replied, suddenly realizing how tired the last few days had actually made him.

"Olivia and Anna. Think they'll be the next Sterling and Ford?" she teased closing her eyes.

He laughed slightly. "I think Anna and Olivia are very different than me and Sterling."

It was Sophie's turn to laugh. "Whatever you say, Nate. Whatever you say."

_**So, what did you think? Will we one day see Olivia and Anna as frienemies on the opposite sides of the law? Please review! **_


	47. A Knock on the Door

_**For those who are wondering, I've vaguely described Anna in past chapters so you can piece her together but I'll give you the full lay out. She's of the Italian decent but she shares a lot of Sophie's characteristics; big brown eyes, olive skin, dark brown hair. Her hair is curly and about half way down her back, her eyes are almond shaped, and she's about 5'4'', but shorter than the rest of the leverage team since Sophie and Parker are both around 5'7''. Her body shape is more along the idea of Parker's, very tiny from lack of nourishment when she was younger. Umm… I think that about covers it, any other questions? I'm always happy to answer. **_

_**Also, this is a very short chapter but it's the beginning of something very big. This is something that I had been considering for a very long time, and finally decided that it was worth a try doing. If you all completely hate it, I'll delete it and go on with The Experimental Job. **_

It was nice staying busy, always traveling and working but there were days where I did enjoy just hanging out with the team. Sometimes it was tense, I mean you have six people that spend almost every waking minute together, we're bound to get on each other's nerves sometimes. Eventually we'd make up, but a good fight felt good every now and then.

Of course, Hardison and Eliot were the first to snap on each other. Something about respecting other people's items, but truthfully I wasn't listening. I had a much bigger problem.

"Sophie!" I yelped as Parker took an entire handful of my hair and yanked me back.

"Just hold still, I'll get it out!" Parker told me, forcibly pulling on my curls.

"Sophie!" I cried again, this time more fearful than before. Nate and Sophie were making lunch today and I was trying desperately to make it up to the apartment, but Parker was dragging by the hair back toward the stairs.

Just as I was about to turn around and give Parker a good left hook to make her let go of my hair, Nate and Sophie opened the door to the apartment to see me getting drug backwards.

"What are you two doing?" Nate asked confused as my eyes watered.

"Tell her to let go or I'll hit her!" I snapped grabbing my hair closer to the scalp to try and get her to stop tugging.

"Parker, stop! What's going on?" Sophie demanded looking at the two of us like we were crazy.

As soon as I was free of Parker's death grip I bolted for Sophie, one hand holding out a portion of my hair away from the rest. "Look what she did!" I snapped, indicating the huge wad of bubblegum that was now even more matted in my hair.

Sophie sighed and took a closer look. "I'm sure she didn't do it on purpose. This is going to take a while." She then turned and looked at Nate. "Will you get me the peanut butter? Anna go sit on a bar stool."

"But she did do it on purpose!" I complained, still obeying Sophie at the same time.

Nate pulled out a jar of peanut butter and set on the bar behind me while he and Sophie looked at Parker.

"Parker," Sophie said carefully, "Did you purposely put gum in Anna's hair?"

Parker suddenly looked five under Nate and Sophie's gaze. "Yes…"

Sophie closed her eyes and took a deep breath, shaking her head as she covered her eyes. Nate just rolled his eyes and looked less than thrilled. "Why did you put gum in Anna's hair, Parker?" Nate spoke as though she was a child, probably because she was acting like it.

Rolling from her heels to her toes and back she shrugged, looking down at the floor.

"Mom!" I complained, not even realizing what I was saying because I was so angry.

"Parker, apologize to Anna and you are _not _allowed to have anymore gum!" Nate reprimanded as Sophie sat behind me and began to pull some of the gum out of my hair. She was muttering sometime about how difficult this was going to be and it was not making me feel any better.

Parker sulked over to me and pouted. "I'm sorry, Anna."

As much as I wanted to stay mad, it was really hard sometimes. "It's okay," I replied my voice squeaking a little when Sophie pulled and muttered an apology.

Nate was about to go back to making lunch when Hardison pushed the door open closely followed by a very angry Eliot. "I was letting that marinate and you just gave it Phantom like it was nothing! It has to set for 24 hours!"

"Look dude, it wasn't me," Hardison tried, but he really wasn't getting anywhere. Phantom wasn't helping him out any either, since he was still following Hardison licking his chops.

"You think I'm stupid? You're not nearly as good at lying as you think you are," Eliot snapped back, ready to break Hardison in half.

"Boys!" Nate warned not even looking up at them.

Parker had retired to the couch and was pouting while I cringed as Sophie pulled out more of the gum and added more peanut butter. Phantom was still following Hardison around even though Hardison was trying to shoo him away. Eliot was just growling and Nate was making some soup.

It was eerily silent except for when I hissed or Sophie muttered some apology.

"We're not going to have to cut my hair, are we?" I asked her grabbing hold of my long hair and running my hands through it.

"Hopefully not, but this is not easy Anna so sit still," she muttered, obviously concentrating.

Parker turned around and looked over the couch at the both of us. "I'm sorry Anna, I won't do it again."

"It's okay, Parker," I grumbled. "No more gum."

Sophie was just about to say something else when there was a knock at the door.

Everyone in the room froze. First of all, no one knock on Nate's door. Second of all, everyone that we would be expecting was already in the apartment. Immediately our minds went to the terrible possibilities.

"Nate, are you expecting visitors?" Hardison said slowly, pulling up the cameras outside the door.

"No," Nate said so seriously goosebumps rose on the back of my neck. He moved to look over Hardison's shoulder at the person at the door. I wanted to look too, but Sophie was still working gum out of my hair.

Eliot moved toward the door and looked at Nate who nodded. Opening the door, Eliot's frame completely hid the person behind the door.

"Can I help you?" Eliot said sounding polite, but dangerous all at the same time.

Softly a female voice broke the silence. "Have you seen this girl? I was told I could find her here."

Before Eliot could answer, I leapt from my chair. That voice, it was familiar, but it couldn't be. I nearly pushed Eliot Spencer out of the way as I stared at the familiar big brown eyes, dark curly hair, and petite frame.

"Anna," the woman whispered, smiling softly at me as I suddenly was pulled into a hug.

I was numb as she held me to her. "Mama?"

_**So there we go. This is up to you guys? Delete this chapter or tell you what really happened to Anna's mother. **_


	48. Melissa Moretti

My head was spinning as I was held against her. This wasn't really happening. It couldn't be happening. Yet, there she was, standing in front of me. Tears ran down her face as she pulled away to get a better look at me. I took the chance to really look at her.

There was no denying that it was my mother, but her hair had grayed severely and her eyes were blood shot with dark bags underneath. Not to mention her accent seemed to have changed as well. I was now two inches taller than her and probably weighed twenty pounds more. She was nothing but the skeleton of what my mother used to be, even when she was ill.

"Mama," I said. I wanted to say that she was alive, but I wasn't sure if that was exactly how you would describe her state. My emotions were beginning to catch up with me. "Mama, what happened to you?"

She sniffed back her tears and wiped her sunken cheeks with a boney hand. "Your father kicked me out. He told me to leave and never come back," she said tearfully. "He said I had a problem."

That's when I realized it. The marks on the insides of her elbows, the scars on her arms, the needle tracks. I wanted to cry, I wanted to bury my face in my hands and sob. I had never seen it when I was a child. I thought she was sick. I thought she was fighting some terrible disease, but no.

The signs had always been there in front of me. The proof right there, but innocence blinded me. No, optimism blinded me. In my eyes my mother was a saint. She was the woman that loved me when my father didn't. She was the one that stayed with my father to protect me. It all was a lie.

My mother was an addict.

Eliot pulled me back from the strange, unfamiliar woman as she wept. Phantom, sensing something was wrong, bristled up and growled at her until Nate hissed at him to stay back. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't cry. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't. I was standing there with gum and peanut butter in half my hair, staring at my half alive mother.

"Where have you been, Mama? Why didn't you look for me?" I asked her, my voice fighting between hurt and angry. "Why didn't you fight for me?"

"You had a good life with your father…" And just like that another support beam in my heart collapsed. "You were lucky to have such a successful-"

I couldn't hear it anymore. "Mama, no. Stop." I pushed away from Eliot and looked at my mother. "Why are you here?"

Every time I had ever imagined seeing my mother again, I never imagined asking her why she was back. Why she wanted to see me. No. I imagined her healthy, beautiful, and telling me she's sorry she didn't get me away from my father sooner. The way my mother looked at me when I asked her the question, it was nothing but shock and pain.

"I came to see you. To make sure you were okay," she whispered, reaching out to touch my cheek.

"She's fine." A British accent came from the back of the room. I turned around to see Sophie in complete control. "We've made sure of that."

My mother nodded and grabbed my hand. "Good, good." With those big brown eyes, she looked at me like she needed me to follow her. "Anna, I want you to come home with me."

And just like that, I felt the room turn hostile, but it kept completely silent. Sophie's face was still completely calm as she sipped her tea.

"What?" I stuttered. "No!"

My mother wasn't expecting that. "What?"

Sophie moved behind me, placing her hands on my shoulders and giving me a reassuring squeeze. "This is a lot at once, why don't you go home and get cleaned up. Nate, Anna, and I will meet you for lunch tomorrow. Does that sound alright?"

I stared at Sophie completely surprised by her control.

My mother looked like she was ready to argue, but Sophie stood a little taller. "Tomorrow, Melissa. You are not the only person that cares about Anna now."

Melissa Moretti nodded. "Tomorrow. I'll see you tomorrow, baby." She told me forcibly pulling me away from Sophie and yanked me into a hug.

She took a long look at me before turning and walking away. I just stared at the image of my mother heading down the hallway. The moment she was out of sight, I spun around and looked at Sophie. My heart wrenched as I went to her, tears building in my eyes.

"Sophie," I said carefully, trying to keep my emotions at bay, "I don't know what to do." Nate was watching Sophie, I could see it, but everyone else was watching me. A knot formed in my throat as I took a step closer to Sophie. "What am I suppose to do?"

Sophie touched my face, looking at me with the most caring eyes I had ever seen. "We don't have to talk about this now," she told me before I buried myself in her arms and broke out into sobs.

Sophie held back all her emotions. All the anger, fear, and hostility she felt toward the woman that had walked right up to their door and demanded to see her daughter. No, she was Sophie's daughter. Where was she through the nightmares? Where was she through the heartache?

It didn't take a genius to know that the woman was an addict, there were track marks up and down her arms. How dare she come to Anna looking like she did.

Sophie looked at the rest of the team as she held Anna, peanut butter still in her hair. Parker looked frightened, probably for the same reason everyone else felt it. No one wanted Anna to leave. No one could imagine if she did leave. Nate placed a supporting hand on her back before moving around and placing his other hand on Anna's tear streaked face.

"Anna, go upstairs and get cleaned up." Anna looked up at him looking like she was about to argue when Nate gave her a gentle look. "We'll all be right here when you get back. No one's going anywhere."

Sophie gave her girl one last squeeze as she pressed her lips against the girl's forehead. Anna's big brown eyes looked up into Sophie's. "I don't want you to leave," Anna said, her voice so small it was hard to hear. "She's not… she's not who I remember."

Eliot's knuckles were white as he watching her wipe her tears and Sophie unwillingly letting Anna go. Hardison couldn't even look at Anna. It reminded him too much of when social workers would come and take away the people he cared about too. It couldn't happen again. Especially if Anna didn't want to.

"You're not going anywhere you don't want to," Nate assured his daughter as she moved into his arms.

Finally, Anna headed upstairs to wash her hair while the rest of the team stood there. Sophie finally looked at Nate. "Can I speak with you in private?" she asked him glancing at the rest of the team.

Eliot took the hint motioned for Hardison and Parker to follow him into the hallway for a minute. Sophie gave them a grateful smile. "Thanks guys."

Hardison nodded. "Just let us know when you're done."

The door closed behind the three and Sophie looked at Nate. They didn't need to speak, they knew each other far better than that. They knew the pain and of their daughter as well as each other. But as much pain as they were feeling, Anna turning around and telling them that she wanted to stay made them feel a little better.

Nate opened his arms up and she went to him and laid her head on his chest. She went to him and he kissed her hair. The controlled Sophie was ready to break, but when she did, at least she's be in his arms.

Melissa Moretti stood outside a bar somewhere in downtown Boston. She clawed aimlessly at her skin. She needed a fix, but she knew she wasn't going to get it yet. She knew she had to do what he said. When the familiar black SUV pulled up she nearly sprinted to it.

"I can't do this. I need some, please. I'll do whatever you want for it, just can I have a little now?" she asked.

Antonio MOretti looked at the woman who was once his beautiful wife. They all said Moretti didn't have a heart, but he did. He loved the woman that stood outside his car window, twitching slightly, at least he used to. She used to be the most brilliant woman her knew, but now she was nothing but the shell of what she used to be. The pain medication for her illness soon became an addiction that she couldn't shake. When Moretti took away the pills she found something else, leaving him behind to pursue her life of trash and drugs, until now. She was out of money, she was out of luck and the only way she could get anything was through him.

But everything comes with a price.

Nathan Ford needed to suffer. He needed to feel the pain of losing a child like he lost his. Anna was his and he took her away from him. Anna was something he trained her to be. She was supposed to be the creature he created to do his work. Yes, she ran away, but he knew that she would eventually come back, like a hungry animal, but Nathan Ford fed his starving pet until it became his.

If he couldn't have Anna no one could.

"You didn't finish the job, Missy," Antonio said gently, touching the cheek of his poor wife.

She shivered underneath his touch. "She's just a kid, why do we have to do it? Why can't we just take her home and make her do what you say, like before."

Antonio Moretti stared at his wife. "Anna will fight until she finds her way back to them, and they will fight for her." A small smile came across his face as he passed Melissa a bottle of pills to her. "We need to take away their reason to fight."

_**Okay, so I've gone through many ideas of what her mother was going to be like, and I have a feeling you all are not going to like what's going to happen. Either that or you all are a little like me and enjoy twisted things… Well, tell me what you think! Love you!**_


	49. Wake Up

_**Okay for you all who don't like angst, I apologize, but I have a feeling that by the time this part of the story is done, you all will be seeing these characters a little differently. They can surprise you. **_

Melissa quickly pulled the top off the pill bottle off before it was snatched away again by Antonio. "You get the pills when you give me something. I want the situation dealt with."

An ill mind can turn to sinister thoughts when needed, and that's exactly what Melissa's mind did. "I have an idea, but I want the pills."

Moretti gave her a once over before pour a couple into his palm and offering her one. "Tell me and you'll get the rest."

She clutched the pill staring at the bottle like a hungry animal. "She's in an apartment above McRory bar. She drives a camaro." Raising a dangerous eyebrow and twitching her lips into an evil grin. "I'm sure you can have that taken care of."

Anna had shut down. She sat against the large window that over looked the street with Phantom laying against her while the entire team lived in silence. Anna wanted to tell them that the woman at the door was not her mother, because she wasn't anymore. The mother she remembered taught her piano and cello so she could one day go off to college or play her heart out as a professional, so that she could find some peace in the life she was forced to live. The mother she remembered didn't wear rags, but classy attire even when she was ill. She never let the grey in her hair show or go out without makeup. The woman at the door was barely her mother.

Every now and then Sophie would hear the little girl break into sobs, but she didn't approach the child. She was taking in the cold, harsh reality that her mother was an extremely different image than she once thought. Still, what didn't make sense was why she was just now finding Anna. She appeared out of nowhere in a rush to take Anna away, most likely to nothing.

The entire team walked on egg shells around the Anna. Nate wanted to tell her that everything was okay, but he knew this was not okay at all. Parker wanted to talk to Anna, she wanted to check on her, she wanted to fix her sister, but even Parker knew that this was not the time. Hardison tried to distract Parker but she didn't seem to want to do anything but stay close to Anna, just like the rest of the team. Eliot had excused himself a short time ago to take out some frustrations on a punching bag.

Finally, Anna stood up immediately gaining the attention of Nate and Sophie. "Can I sleep in your bed?" Anna asked Nate, her cheeks pink and damp from tears. Both of the adults resisted pulling her into a hug and trying their best to take away her pain.

Nate nodded slowly. "That's fine. Let us know if you need anything."

Anna didn't reply, she just moved toward the steps and disappeared along with Phantom.

Sophie stood up, frustration radiating off of her. "I need to find Melissa," she said already searching for her jacket and car keys.

Every other member of the team was up. "What? No! Are you crazy?" Hardison snapped as he hurried to block her way to the door.

"I'm going too!" Parker said taking her stand behind Sophie.

Sophie shook her head at Parker. "No, I'm going alone."

Parker looked frustrated and began to argue. Hardison joined in telling them that both of them needed to stay where they were which only made Sophie angrier and louder. Finally, Nate spoke up.

"Parker, Hardison, this is not up to you," Nate shot at both of them. Realizing how harsh he sounded, he glanced at both of them apologetically. "I'm sorry, we all care about Anna, but the decision is Sophie's. The responsibility of Anna ultimately went to her when she first came. Sophie is in control of this situation."

Sophie wanted to go kiss him. In fact she did. Pressing her lips against his in a brief "thank you" type of kiss, she pushed her way through the door.

Melissa Moretti sat alone at a bar on the bad side of town. There was no hiding that she was high, knocking back pain pills with alcohol. All she had to do was do away with Anna and she could go back to her luxurious life with her husband. The life she lost so long ago.

There was a time where Melissa would have given anything to hold her daughter again, but she had found something to fill the void. Eventually the drugs became more important than anything else, more important than the music she once played, more important that her two beautiful children. It's funny how your priorities change. Her husband loved her and he would give her anything to get better, he would give her the drugs, he would love her again like he used to.

The bell above the door chimed as Sophie Devereaux walked into the bar with a shopping bag in her hand. She immediately took a seat beside Melissa and passed her the bag.

"What do you want?" Melissa hissed, slurring her words together.

Sophie remained patient, pushing the bag toward her again. "It's for you."

Melissa glared at her, but then looked toward the bag before finally reaching inside. There was a nice blouse with black slacks and a cute pair of shoes in the bag for her. Sophie had a knack for knowing sizes just by looking at people, and she decided to put her ability to use and buy Melissa Moretti an outfit.

"What is this for?" Melissa asked, her voice softening some.

"It's for you to wear tomorrow at lunch," Sophie said clearly. "Anna idolized you for so long and we both know that you don't truly want her back. You have no place to take her, no place for her in your life. But if you're going to disappoint her, give her a glimpse of what she remembers."

There was ice in every word, but she was completely calm. She was making sure Melissa knew that this was her territory and no one was taking Anna from her. Sophie Deverueax was Anna's mother, not this low life. She would never amount to what Anna needed, and maybe Sophie wouldn't either, but she would do her absolute best to never let her daughter down.

The longer Melissa sat there, the more she began to remember the little girl who called her Mama and carried the dirty teddy bear around everywhere she went. She remembered the necklace she passed down to her when turned five, she remembered, just barely, what it was like to love her child.

"You really care about Anna, don't you?" Melissa asked Sophie as they sat there.

Sophie leveled with her. "More than anything else in the world," she replied, her voice crisp as to remind her that this was supposed to be how she felt too.

Melissa shook her head and picked up her glass. "Then you better try and save her," she grumbled pushing the bag of clothes back to Sophie. "I knew I wouldn't need these anyway."

Sophie looked at the woman, confused. "What are you saying?" Sophie spoke slowly. "You just walked into turn Anna's life upside down and leave?" Now she was angry, she was nearly shouting. "She loves you! You could have at least let her believe that you were gone, let her keep the image of the woman she thought you were! Instead you rip everything out from under her. Every good part of her childhood was a lie. You-you-you bitch! How dare you!"

Sophie pushed the bag at Melissa, but all Melissa did was laugh as Sophie felt tears burning in her eyes. "Shut up!" she snapped, ignoring all the looks she was getting. "She's your daughter and you broke her!"

Melissa continued laughing, pushing the bag onto the floor and taking a drink. Sophie had enough. She pulled the glass out of her hands and threw it to the ground, listening to it shatter at her feet. "You broke her," Sophie hissed, moving closer to the woman.

Melissa just shook her head. "Worse, I killed her."

There was a beat where Sophie's entire body froze. Her blood quit pumping and her heart plummeted to her stomach.

"Tony wants her dead, so that's the way it's going to be," Melissa spat, swaying back and forth as she stood up from the bar stool and headed outside.

Before she could make it to the door, Sophie grabbed Melissa Moretti and threw her fist out. It made perfect contact with the woman's jaw, sending her tumbling into a table of glasses. Sophie grabbed the filthy human by the collar and glared into her soul. "If anything happens to my daughter I will kill you."

Melissa looked past her to the clock on the wall. "Well, you better hurry home then."

*Anna*

I grabbed my car keys off of the bar and headed toward the door, but of course, I was stopped.

"Where are you going?" Eliot asked me as I tried to move around him.

"I'm going home," I replied. When Eliot gave me a look, I sighed. "I'm going home to Sophie's apartment where I'm going to watch _Once Upon a Time_ and eat chocolate. Is that a problem?"

My voice was snippy even though I know he was only trying to be sure I wasn't going to go jumping from roof top to roof top without a harness or start picking fights with angry Russians. Still, Eliot looked at Nate for the final permission.

"Let her go, Sophie will be coming back soon. I'll tell her where you are," Nate said nodding for Eliot to let me by.

I didn't waste a moment. Slipping past him, I hissed at Phantom to stay. I wanted to be alone, completely alone, even just for a second. The moment I got into my car, I closed the door and rested my head on the steering wheel. Taking a deep breath I sat up and started the engine.

Sophie's heart was pounding as she took a sharp turn around another corner. She kept trying to dial Nate, but he wouldn't pick up until… _"Hello?" _

"Nate!" she gasped, nearly in tears as she tried to hurry back to McRory's. "Keep Anna inside, Moretti's planning on killing her!" The last part came out in a squeak as the emotions began to catch in her throat.

Nate was running out the door and had just made it outside to see Anna pull out of the parking space and head down the road toward Sophie's apartment.

"She's left to go to your place, she's already on her way," he stuttered, watching as Anna took a left turn.

His breath caught in his throat as a large SUV came speeding into the intersection, nailing Anna's driver's side door. The squealing of the tires, the sound of glass shattering, medal hitting medal and the sound of the camaro slamming against a light post and it falling on top of the car. A woman screamed as the driver of the SUV climbed out and limped toward a nearby car. He jumped into the back seat and the car took off.

Nate couldn't move. Smoke was coming out of the camaro's hood as people crowded around the wreckage. He could see, even from fifteen feet away, Anna was still in the driver's seat. She had made no attempt to get out of the car. She had not moved.

Sophie had just pulled up in front of McRory's to see Anna's camaro nearly demolished. "Nate," she cried, pulling him back into reality. The rest of the team had run down the steps and out the entrance to McRory's. Nate glanced back at Eliot. "Get Sophie!" he demanded as he took off toward the car.

Sophie bolted after him, only to be stopped by Eliot. She flailed her arms and screamed and cried, begging him to let her go to Anna. Let her check on her. She was completely hysterical, tears running down her face, her body trembling. Parker was on her knees, crying silently as Hardison held her by the shoulders. This wasn't happening.

Nate made his way to the car, reaching in through the broken glass to see Anna's air bags had deployed. Her face was now against the steering wheel, blood dripping from her nose and her ear. "Anna!" he cried, reaching in and touching his little girl's face. "Anna!"

He could hear Sophie crying even over all the sounds of the street. He forced the door open, pushing his fingers into her neck to check for a pulse. It was there, barely, but there. "Anna, wake up!" he told the girl as he touched her face, tears running down his cheeks. "Anna, wake up, sweetie. Daddy's here. Wake up, Daddy's here."

But Anna didn't wake up.

_**Please review. :)**_


	50. When It's Time

_**You guys are going to hate me.**_

_Music. That was the first thing I heard. It was the same music that was playing on my radio when… what was that? Why did it all stop? I'm standing on the street outside of McRory's but it's completely empty. There are no people, no cars, just me standing alone in the fog. I jumped and a voice echoed through the street. "Wake up, Anna. Daddy's here." _

_It was Nate's voice, he sounded like he was crying, but I couldn't see him. He sounded so close yet so far away. _

_I called out to him. "Nate!"_

"_He can't hear you," a voice said behind me, making me spin around to see a boy about ten years old leaning against the brick building. "You won't be able to hear him much longer either."_

_My body felt hollow as I searched the area around me. "Where is he?" I demanded._

_The boy shook his head and pushed against the wall. "The better question, is where are you?"_

_Just then my surroundings flashed. It was brighter. The sun glaring at me with annoying power as people appeared all around me. My eyes immediately fell on Sophie, she was fighting against Eliot, screaming out my name and Nate's name. I turned to see what she was looking at. _

_Nate was kneeling beside the driver's side door, tears streaking his face. He kept yelling at me to wake up. _

"_Nate!" I called to him again. Then I ran to Sophie and reached out to her. "Sophie, I'm right here! Sophie-" but my hand slid through her arm. It was like something you'd see off a movie. _

"_They can't see you, because technically you're not here," the boy told me as the scene flashed back to the shadowy world that I was in before. _

_Panic struck me as I searched for the two people who _are_ my parents. "Where am I? Who are you?" _

_The boy looks at me with big blue eyes and spiral curls. "I'm Sam Ford." _

The moment the ambulance arrived at the hospital, Sophie and Nate jumped out of her car that the entire team had piled into to follow. There was a paramedic on the bed as the rolled Anna throw the door doing compressions.

Sophie felt her heart drop to her stomach, she knew what that meant. Anna's heart had stopped on the way here.

She grabbed Nate's arm to steady herself as a new group of people surround their daughter. "Are you the parents?" A doctor asked over her shoulder. But neither of them heard that. They were watching as they cut off Anna's clothing and another doctor called for a crash cart.

Finally, the physician turned her full attention to Nate and Sophie, blocking their line of sight to their daughter's bed. "Are you the parents?" she asked again.

Sophie nodded but Nate couldn't find words. All he could do was watch the scene in front of him. It was like he was having a flash back of Sam as the pressed the paddles to Anna's bare chest and her body pulsed up.

He yelped slightly, but he wouldn't have realized it if Sophie hadn't help him a little tighter.

"I need you to wait in the lobby," the doctor said patiently. "I'm going to do everything I can for your daughter."

Sophie could only nod as more tears flooded her eyes. "Can you tell me your daughter's blood type?" the doctor asked as she escorted the couple to the door, she was confident that at the moment her presence was not needed.

Both Sophie and Nate looked at each other. "I-I-I don't…" Sophie began, tears making it difficult to speak. Suddenly she felt like a bad parent, how could she have not known Anna's blood type? Then again, she didn't truthfully know when Anna's birthday was either.

"That's okay, a lot of parents don't know their kid's blood type," the woman said patiently placing a hand on Sophie's arm. "Just have a seat in the lobby and I'll send someone out as soon as we know something."

Nate had heard the words before, he hated them. He hated hospitals. The image of Sam's body pulsing beneath the shock flashed to Anna's and suddenly he was gone. Sobs broke him in the doorway to the lobby as Sophie tried to hold him up, barely keeping it together herself. He couldn't go through it again. He couldn't lose another child.

Eliot came up and help him off the ground as the two men embraced. Eliot Spencer had been through a lot, but he rarely cried. He rarely broke down and cried. But there were two men sobbing infront a room of strangers.

Parker went running to Sophie, burying her face in Sophie's hair while Hardison sat in a chair, his face buried in his hands as tears ran down his cheeks and dripped off his chin. These people were strong people, but they never felt so weak before in their lives.

_A horrid pain slammed into my chest and I gasped for air. "What is that?" I cried my entire body throbbing. _

_Sam looked at me. He seemed so serious, so truthfully concerned. "Anna, do you want to live?" he asked me as another pain shot through me and sent me to my knees._

"_What?" I gasped thinking of how stupid of a question it was. _

"_Do you want to live, Anna? Yes or no!" he shouted, he voice trembling in fear. _

"_Yes!" I cried as the pain hit me again and I braced myself on all fours, my palms pressing against the cold side walk._

"_Then say it!" he pressed, his voice getting further away._

"_Say what?" I asked him trying so hard to focus on his words as the pain increased, turning my vision white. _

"_Say you want to live!" Sam shouted at me reaching toward me as the white vision grew brighter._

_I swallowed hard as another burst of pain hit me. "I want to live!"_

_Suddenly the pain vanished and the scene around me changed to a hospital room. My hospital room. It was so weird being able to look down at myself on the bed. There was a tube running into my mouth as well as one in my arm. I could hear the doctor talking to someone. _

"_She had some serious internal bleeding, but we were able to stop it through surgery. The pressure on her brain has decreased, but she's still not responding. The next twelve hours are crucial."_

_The dim fog disappeared and it was replaced with the overly bright lights. Nate stood behind Sophie, squeezing her shoulders as the other three members of the team remained completely silent. The doctor was a young woman and you could tell her heart went out to my family. _

"_Have the police found anything more on the person that hit her?" she asked Nate as he stared blankly at the nearly lifeless image of me. _

_All he could do was shake his head. The doctor laid her hand on his arm and gave he and Sophie a grim smile. She wanted to take the pain away too. _

_Parker pushed off the wall with her shoulder when the doctor left. "We can't let the Morettis get away with this!" she demanded, her eyes puffy and her face pink. "They have to pay!"_

_I wanted to hug her. I wanted to tell her to forget about them, to tell her everything was going to be okay. But I couldn't._

"_We all want Anna to get better, but we have to start thinking of the possibilities," Eliot said slowly. I could see the look on his face, he didn't want to think of them either._

"_Anna _will_ get better," Sophie choked out, her voice cold. She had obviously done all the crying possible and was now just empty. She had nothing left to give for me. No more tears to cry any longer. _

"_Anna's tough," Hardison reassured everyone. "She can get through this."_

_Sam took a step closer to me and the image of my family vanished. "That's what Dad used to say about me." He dropped his voice and stood a little straighter. "'Sam's tough, he can get through this!'" _

_He grinned up at me, seeming perfectly happy where he was. "Why did you die Sam? Why didn't you fight too?" I asked him taking a seat, cross legged on the floor._

_Same gave me a funny look, but joined me. "I did fight and I kept fighting. But sometimes it doesn't matter how much you want to live, you just have to die."_

_The words made me ache. Was it my time to go too? Was this were my story ended? Me in a hospital bed with my true family surrounding me and my birth mother nowhere to be seen. Once again, when I needed my mother most, she was not there._

"_You know, your mother did this to you. Your mother and your father," Sam told me as though he was reading my thoughts. I sat up and looked at him, ready to argue that it was impossible, but the thing was, it didn't surprise me at all. _

"_It kinda sucks," I told him, trying to laugh but failing. "At least your parents cared."_

_Sam shrugged. "You have parents that care. In fact, my mother in flying here as we speak to see you. Sterling and Olivia are coming too. You have a lot of people that love you, Anna."_

_I know I did. But the longer I was in this world, the harder it was getting to hear the voices of my family. "Sam, is it over for me? Am I going to die?" I asked him looking into his big blue eyes._

_He just shrugged a little. "I was just told that you have twelve hours."_

_I swallowed hard. "Starting when?"_

_Sam looked past me to the clock on the wall. "Three hours ago. You have until 9 o'clock tonight."_

Maggie had been sitting on a plane for an hour already. From LA to Boston it was five and a half hours. She pulled every resource she had to get her on the next flight out. Eliot had called her two hours ago when Anna was going into surgery.

Maggie was not Anna's mother like Sophie was, or a sister like Parker. No, Maggie was more like a favorite aunt that she talked to a couple times a week about anything. Sometimes she would just call to say hello and that she missed her. From where they began to where they were now, their relationship had blossomed. The idea of Maggie losing Anna was horrifying.

Maggie bit the inside of her lip as she reached to flag a flight attendant but accidently grabbed a man in a suit instead.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she muttered, not even looking at him, but trying to look around him for the attendant.

"Maggie?"

Suddenly she looked up to realize she had grabbed the arm of an old friend, James Sterling. It was amazing how much seeing a familiar face can ease your pain in a time of crisis.

"Jim!" she squeak, jumping up and wrapping her arms around the man in the middle of the isle. "What are you doing here?"

He gave her a weak smile. "Same thing as you, I bet. Hardison called me."

Things immediately turned grim as they realized how serious the situation was if both of them were called. It may really be over for Anna. The mischievous girl with a heart that was way too big may forever be gone from their lives.

Maggie bit the inside of her cheek as tears burned behind her eyes. Immediately Sterling placed his hand over hers. "There's an open seat next to me and my daughter Olivia if you'd like company."

Maggie nodded slowly, not wanting to be alone right then. "I'd like that very much."

Sophie and Nate had not left Anna's room since she came out of surgery. It was going on seven o'clock and there was no sign of her waking up. Sophie held her daughter's hand, whispering words of comfort and love, telling her to wake up, telling her that she was going to take care of her. Nate on the other hand just stared out the window. The familiar sound of Anna's heart monitor drove him insane. He kept telling himself that this was different. That Anna was going to wake up. That everything was going to be fine. But things weren't fine.

Parker sat on the floor in the corner of the room. Her eyes never leaving the floor. She hadn't stopped crying. Tears had flowed from her eyes since the moment they pulled her little sister from the car. She thought of Michael. Their fates were so similar.

Hardison couldn't stand to be in the room any longer. Instead he was watching Moretti. He hacked into Moretti's web cam and security camera's in his nearby home and had been watching every move Moretti and his wife made. Hardison did not sensor his hideous thoughts of what he wanted to happen to them, instead, he planned out how each idea could be executed. Each idea getting more and more sinister than the last.

Eliot guarded the door. Silent. He had done his crying, but what he hadn't done was his job. It was his fault Anna had been hurt. He was the one that was supposed to protect his team. He should have seen something happening to her when her mother showed up at the door. He should have known this was going to happen and prevented it.

"Eliot!" A voice pulled him from his thoughts as a Maggie, Sterling, and Olivia raced toward him.

He straightened a little, but he couldn't get his posture back to its usual confidence. "There hasn't been a change."

Maggie went to him and embraced him. This was a time where everyone needed each other's support. Even Sterling looked into the other man's eyes and put a hand on his shoulder. No one could fight right then. Not when they needed Anna to keep on fighting.

"_So we just wait?" I asked Sam as we both watched the clock turn to seven fifteen. Time moved extremely fast here and the longer we sat there the faster it moved._

_Sam shrugged. "Apparently. I'm just company," he replied. "But apparently it gets harder."_

_I blinked at him. The clock chimed and it was seven thirty PM. I had an hour. "I don't understand-"_

_Suddenly it felt like someone was ripping apart my stomach and I gasped for air. _

Anna's heart monitor started beeping faster and faster until an alarm roared in her room. Sophie reached out for her daughter as a nurse pulled her away and pushed her into Nate's arms. Parker stood in the corner, watching in horror as nurses and doctors surrounded Anna.

"She must be bleeding again," one of the doctors muttered as she examined Anna. "Get an OR ready, we have to go in now!"

And just like that, Anna was wheeled off again. Maggie went to Sophie knowing that someone needed to hold her up and Nate was in no shape to do so. "The fight it on her now." On the way out the door, she and the doctor made brief eye contact. Maggie couldn't help but think how familiar she looked.

_My body was screaming. I had never felt so much pain in my life. The scenes around me were changing as Sam grabbed my hand. "Anna, you have to fight."_

_My entire body was sprawled out on the floor. My limbs tense as threw my head back. "I… I am!"_

"_Anna, listen to me!" _

Doctor Diana Raines was doing her best to stop the bleeding, but she couldn't find the source and she was bleeding out fast. She was a good doctor, and she had noticed the old scarring the girl had. Obviously she had been through tremendous abuse until the past couple years. If she had to guess, she would say that since Anna found her new parents.

Diana was observant. She knew that Anna wasn't their biological child, but just by looking at the way every person in that room looked at her, that didn't matter to them. She also didn't say anything when she recognized the girl's father.

She knew Nathan Ford. She had been there the night his son died. She was only just out of residency, but everyone on the floor knew the Fords. That family, whether it was whole or broken, did not deserve to lose another child.

"_Anna, fight!" Sam screamed, his voice getting further and further away as a bright white light blinded me._

"_I am!" I cried tears streaming my cheeks. My body wouldn't let me win. _

"_You can fight Anna! You can't leave them behind!" Sam kept yelling, but he was gone. I could no longer see him. _

"_I'm trying, Sam! Help me!" _

_Suddenly the pain was gone too and I was standing. Someone walked toward me. She had familiar blue eyes, just like Sam and Nate's. "Hello, Anna."_

Diana Raines cheered silently as she found the source of the bleeding. "Get me two more units of blood!" she demanded. Then her heart dropped to her stomach as the monitor screech and Anna flatlined. "No!" Diana screamed at the monitor. Then she turned back to the girl's body and continued sewing. "We're not giving up! Someone start compressions!"

No one asked questions, they just obeyed the doctor.

"_Where am I?" I asked the woman. _

_She smiled gently at me. "It's time, Anna."_

_Sam appeared beside her, smiling at me gently. Tears flooded my eyes. "No! It can't be my time! Sophie needs me! Nate needs me! The whole team needs me and I need them!" I told the woman, taking a step away from her. _

"_Anna, it's not that simple," the woman told me. "When it's time, it's time."_

Diana kept cursing as the monitor continued to screech, but the she had stopped the bleeding. "No! You do not get to die!" she told the girl.

"_It's not though!" I assured the woman, tears streaming down my face as I moved away from her hand. "I wanna go home! I wanna go home!"_

_The woman smiled. "Oh, sweetie, that's exactly where you're going."_

"Doctor," one of the nurse's said gentle as they all looked down at the girl on the table.

Diana didn't cry over patients, not usually. But she was crying right then. "I know, I know." She muttered, as they wheeled the body out of the room. "I'll go inform the family."

People in the waiting room watched as Sophie Devereaux fell to her knees in tears and Nathan Ford collapsed into a chair, his entire body numb. Parker slid down the wall as Hardison and Eliot both hung their heads. Sterling took a deep breath and Olivia bit her lip. Maggie just stood there, shaking her head a little.

Anna was going to be alright.

_**Did I scare you? Hehehe. Trust me, I considered on waiting until the next chapter to tell you that she was alive, but I thought that would be just too cruel. So, let me know what you think!**_


	51. Night Terrors and Secrets

_**So I've been completely neglecting my homework to write these last chapters. I hope you guys enjoy! **_

Suddenly every member of the odd family was pulling each other into hugs, cheering as grateful tears rolled down their faces. Nate and Sophie held each other until Sophie move to the doctor and smiled at the young woman who saved her daughter's life. Sophie could see how much her family had affect this young woman by the puffiness of her eyes and her damp cheeks.

"Thank you," Sophie said to the doctor, giving her a hug as though she was part of the family too. Pulling away, she smiled apologetically at the teary eyed doctor. "I'm sorry, you may have to told me, but I can't recall your name."

The doctor wiped her cheeks. "Diana Raines."

"Well, Doctor Raines, thank you for saving our daughter," Sophie told her, giving her a teary eyed smile before looking past her to the door. "May I go see her?"

Diana nodded. "Yes, she should be waking up within the hour."

Sophie nodded and reached for Nate. He should be there when Anna woke as well. Parker followed behind them like a lost puppy soon followed by the rest of the crew. The hospital staff didn't stop them since they were primarily silent, and though they were large in number, they seemed to take up a minimal amount of space, always sure to not be in anybody's way.

Diana watched the odd family disappear through the door, all but one. "You were just out of residency and were doing a traveling surgeon internship," Maggie said taking a step toward her. "You introduced yourself to me after one of Sam's first surgeries."

She tried to smile at Maggie, but it she remembered the day she speaking of. It was the day she decided she didn't want to be a travel surgeon. She wanted to watch her patients get better. She wanted to be there for the family.

"I'm sorry about your son," Diana told her softly.

Maggie gave her a brave smile. "Me too. But you saved the best thing that has happened to me and every other person in that room since Sam. "

Placing a hand on Diana's arm and giving her a reassuring squeeze, Maggie silently thanked the woman for more than just Anna's life but for remembering Sam like he was.

Sophie sat next to Anna as she began to come too, she had been going in and out of consciousness for several hours, each time looking around and mumbling something. This time she seemed much more awake, but less aware.

"Sam?" she muttered, trying to sit up. Her voice sounded scratchy from not having anything to drink, so much so that Sophie tried to believe that she hadn't said what she thought she had said.

"Anna?" Sophie said gently noticing Nate turn around and rushed to her side. Parker moved in closer too only to be gently pulled back by Maggie. This was Nate and Sophie's job.

"Sam?" Anna said louder, this time in a panic. "Sam? Where are you?" she cried pushing Sophie's hand away and pulling it toward her as though something awful was reaching for her. "Leave me alone! I want to go home! Don't touch me! I want to go home!" Anna screamed covering her eyes and rocking back and forth as though she was in some sort of nightmare.

"Maggie!" Sophie called looking for her friend.

But Sterling and Eliot were already on it, running down the hallway for a doctor.

Diana hurried in just in time to witness Anna letting out a horrendous scream. Her hands were buried in her hair and she was sobbing uncontrollably. "Mrs. Ford," Both Sophie and Maggie looked up from Anna to the doctor who immediately realized her mistake. "Sophie, keep talking to her. Mr. Ford, help wake her up."

Sophie reached up and touched her face. "Anna, darling. Wake up," Sophie tried gently as Nate did the same. Coaxing the girl awake with kind words didn't seem to be working, so Parker came up with her own plan.

Reaching over the three people leaning over Anna's bed, Parker poured the Dixie cup of water on Anna's face. "Wake up!" she cheered, ready to see her sister back to normal.

Anna startled awake while both Sophie and Nate glared at Parker who seemed to sulk back to her corner but as concerned as the Diana was, she couldn't help but smirk seeing that the odd family was returning to normal.

*Anna*

My heart was pounding and so was my head as I looked up at Sophie and Nate. Sophie's eyes bloodshot and her hair a mess while Nate seemed to have aged years. Immediately my thoughts went to the worst.

"How long have I been sleeping?" I asked groggily.

For some reason everyone thought it was funny because they all seemed to choke on some type of laughter. "Hello darling," Sophie said softly.

The doctor moved where she was standing in front of me shining a light in my eyes. "Hello, my name is Doctor Diana Raines. Can you tell me your full name?"

I blinked at her then quickly looked at Nate and Sophie as to search for the answer. "Uhh." Suddenly everyone's happy faces turned to dread. I knew my name but I wasn't sure what I was suppose to say. I mean, was I Anna Clive, was I Lucy Phillips, Jasmine Chance? What did they want me to say.

I looked to Sophie and gave her a funny look. "Mom?" I tried, but this only seemed to concern everyone more. Getting frustrated I looked to Maggie. "Okay, Maggie!" Then I looked around the room. "James Sterling and Olivia."

The doctor gave me an odd look. "Good, but what's your name?" she asked again, taking the light away.

Sophie kept looking at me, concern evident in her eyes. I tried to search her expression for some sort of hint of what I'm supposed to say. Finally, I just gave up. "Anna Nicole Bonini?" I guessed, making everyone exhale the breath they were holding.

"Good, can you tell me your parent's names?" she asked continuing the examination.

I groaned inwardly, feeling exhausted already. "Ask me something easier than names," I growled making the doctor look confused, but Sophie and Nate seemed to understand what I was getting at. We all had too many I hadn't the slightest idea of who was going by what at the moment.

"How about birthday?" she asked me.

"October first," I replied without missing a beat.

"Good," Doctor Raines replied nodding before taking a step back and watching me. "Do remember what happened Anna?"

I opened my mouth, ready to answer, but then I realized I had no idea what actually happened. One minute I was in the car. The next… Suddenly I became frantic. Was this a dream too? Where was Sam? Where was the blue eyed lady? This was a test wasn't it? It was my time.

"Where's Sam?" I asked the doctor, fear making my voice jump and octave.

Nate looked at me. "Sam? What are you talking about?" Sophie went into touch me, but I jumped back from her touch.

"Sam! This isn't funny!" I cried to the heavens, glancing around, ready for the world to flash to grey and take me back to him. "Sam!"

Sophie grabbed my arms as I tried to pull out my IV and get up to search for him. Where was that boy? Where was the woman? She said it was time…

"Anna, calm down. That was a dream," she told me as Maggie held down my other arm to keep my from pulling out the tubes. But I didn't stop fighting.

"He said it was time for me to go!" I screamed, pulling away from them.

Doctor Raines whispered something to Sophie, who only nodded.

"Anna," the woman said calmly. "I'm going to have to sedate you."

"I want Sam! This isn't fair! He told me if I fought I could come back!" I cried, fighting them. "Why can't I go back?"

A lump grew in Sophie's throat as Doctor Raines stuck a needle into Anna's IV. She wanted to tell her that she was back, that mummy was here and that she wasn't going back. But what seemed to frighten everyone in the room was where exactly she thought she was or where she was going. Where did she see Sam?

Nate and Maggie looked at each other before everyone turned to the doctor for an answer. "With Anna's head injury," Diana said carefully, feeling nervous under all the adult's worried eyes, "she could be experiencing night terrors."

Sophie looked horrified and Nate looked ill. "And they are involving Sam?"

This made Diana look even more uncomfortable. "There are reported cases of people seeing deceased relatives when they are in comas or their heart stops…" Diana said suggestively. "Of course, nothing could be proven and it could be nothing more than a fear of dying revealing itself in a nightmare."

This seemed to disturb every member of the team.

"What can we do?" Maggie asked the doctor watching as Anna still struggled, even under sedation.

Diana frowned. "Help her work through it. She will be discharged in a few days and she will need you all to get past the nightmares." The doctor looked back at the curly hair girl laying on the bed. "With the obvious abuse she's gone through this could be a difficult round. You may consider giving her someone professional to talk to."

Absolutely no one like that idea, all for primarily private reasons. Counseling was something that each of them had dealt with at one point or another and their experiences were not exactly grand. Diana could read the disapproval on their faces. "Or at the very least be open to her. Let her be able to come to you, encourage her to talk."

Sophie ran her hand over Anna's bruised face. She had two black eyes as a reaction from the head injury, and the sprained wrist was the least of their problems, but Sophie couldn't help but just be thankful she was alive. "We'll do whatever it takes."

Anna went home three days later, and since no one had really slept. Not with Anna screaming every night. Sophie was always the first to her room, forcing her awake, pulling her into her arms and trying to calm her as she screamed out Sam's name. It shook them all to the core. Nate especially. When she slept she mumbled fragments of sentences often mentioning his name.

It had been a week after the accident and Anna had only been home for two days, but it had been a long two days. Maggie, Sterling, and Olivia were staying at Nate's apartment while Nate stayed with Anna and Sophie. At first Nate and Sophie slept together in her bed, but it had ended up Sophie and Nate just sitting awake waiting for the first sign of screams. This night was no different.

Anna's screams echoed through the apartment and both of them were on their feet immediately, sprinting across the hallway to her bedroom. Phantom paced nervously at the foot of her bed, whining. By the time Sophie reached her, she was out of her nightmare and into reality that didn't make much sense to her at the moment.

Anna went to her, burying her face in her chest as both Nate and Sophie sat on Anna's bed trying to calm her.

"I was in the white place again," she stuttered, tears leaking out her eyes as she shook her head. "The woman kept telling me it was time to go home."

Sophie nodded, trying not to cry herself. Every night it was the same story. Finally, Anna looked up at her and told her something new, yet she hadn't mentioned Sam since the day at the hospital. "I'm so scared that the next time I close my eyes I won't be able to open them again."

Nate held both of his girls as Anna sobbed and Sophie shook with her own silent tears. Antonio Moretti was going to pay.

Across town at Nate's apartment Sterling, Maggie, Eliot, Hardison, Olivia and Parker all sat in front of the screen staring at the plan. The Morettis were going to pay. They made the mistake last time of letting them get away. This time they wanted to put them in the grave.

Still, Parker was having difficulty with different people sitting at her family's table. Sterling was sitting in Nate's seat and Maggie in Sophie's, and if that wasn't disturbing enough, Olivia was present. It felt like they were replacing him.

"Parker, you're going to-" Sterling began, pointing to one of the air ducts in the blue print.

"No," she grumbled, looking at the clock. It was going on three AM. They had been sitting there for over twelve hours going over just where they should draw the line with the Moretti's.

Hardison looked at her. "No? What do you mean 'no'?" he snapped. "This is for Anna."

"Then she should be involved!" Parker shot back standing up and glaring at the people around her. "We want to fight her battle for her when we don't even know if she wants it fought!"

She didn't wait for a reply, she just left the apartment, slamming the door behind her. She knew exactly where she was going.

*Anna*

I was pretending to sleep so that Nate and Sophie would go back to bed when I heard a knock on my window. Immediately, I knew who it was. I shot up out of my bed and ran over to my window to let the blond in.

Parker examined me for a moment, the same way she had every night since I had come home. It was as though she was checking to be sure I was really who I said I was, not some imposter. When she seemed satisfied she sat on the floor cross legged and handed me a sucker from out of her pocket.

"I'm still sorry about the gum," she muttered, catching me off guard a little, but I smiled anyway.

"It's okay," I told her. We both sat there in the dark only able to see each other's silhouettes in the moonlight. We both sat there for a little while, licking our suckers and staring out into the street. Parker coming over had been our secret. It wasn't as though she wasn't supposed to be over, I just worried that it would hurt Nate and Sophie to know that I confided in her.

"Did you dream about him again?" Parker asked softly.

I swallowed hard. She was the only one I told about Sam in my dreams. She was the only one I told what I saw after the accident, correction, wreck. What happened was not an accident. Parker knew about the nightmares I had about Sam and the blue eyed woman and the pain I felt and me fighting to live. Parker knew, but she was the only one.

"Yes. He kept telling me to fight. That I had to keep fighting," I whispered, so afraid that Nate and Sophie would hear.

Parker didn't ask me to ellborate, she just nodded slightly. "The team wants to take down your parents. Maggie and Sterling too. Olivia tries to stay out of it."

I snorted a little. Olivia wasn't staying out of it because she truly hated me and supported what the Morettis did, but simply because she most likely wasn't sure what she was suppose to do. "Good," I snapped, standing up and throwing away the sucker stick.

Parker watched me. "What do you want to do?"

I didn't look at her. I thought of all the nightmares, not just the recent ones, that they had caused me. All the times that I thought my mother loved me when she would choose a little pill over me any day. Everything my father taught me to be. I wanted to use all the pain they caused me and throw it back at them in the worst ways possible. I wanted them destroyed.

"I want to help."

_**And so the battle begins… How do you think they should get back at the Morettis? Your ideas are welcomed. **_


	52. Poetic Justice

_**And the chapter you've all been waiting for!**_

There was one thing you didn't do, you didn't hurt family. Antonio Moretti had broken this rule and been left with a warning once, only because he was my father. This time, he had written his own fate. Every member of the team wanted him dead, but they knew better. They were not killers, they were con men and thieves.

Eliot had brought up the idea of calling in a favor from another hitter to do the job, but the team wanted to watch this man's life crumble leaving nothing for himself or his drug addicted wife. Cory seemed to have not known about the plan to kill me, at least as far as the team could tell, but he was going to go down with the family business.

Hardison had leaked information on the business to every intelligence agency around the world. Sophie had made calls to grifters to spread rumors about the Moretti's. Eliot, Sterling and Parker planted evidence while Maggie tried to keep everyone's morals in check. Now, it was just time to confront them.

There was something in the way Nate did things. He enjoyed torturing people in tiny ways. He enjoyed watching them fret. There was no exception for my father. Still, things had a way of turning out in a way that no one predicted.

We all stood in the living room of a house my father had recently acquired in Boston. His business was destroyed, his money gone, and the authorities were after him. We had him cornered like a rabid animal, and like all rabid animals, he struck back.

There were already two bullets in the hardwood floor that he used to get everyone's attention. Eliot was resisting charging because he knew he couldn't risk him firing and hitting a member of the team. This was my fight anyway. As much as Nate and Eliot would like to take care of this for me, he would always be my father and I would always be his flesh and blood.

"I swear to God, I'll kill her!" he shouted pointing the gun at me, but I didn't flinch. No one in the room reacted. We knew better. Reaction gave him what he wanted, either that or it would startle him into firing.

I looked to my mother who was standing behind the desk, tears shaking his tiny frame, but I was completely unaffected. "You don't scare me, Dad. I've already died twice this week," I said sarcastically.

"I'll be sure it sticks this time!" he retorted dangerously.

I took a step toward him and he only steadied the gun. "You think killing me is the worst thing you could do?" I hissed steadily moving closer. I could feel everyone in the room tense. "You'd never kill me yourself; you haven't got the stomach for it."

My father swallowed hard, confirming my statement. "I've killed before," he retorted.

I raised my eyebrow. "Yes, but you couldn't kill me. As much as you hate to admit it, you still love me, don't you Daddy?" I hissed, my voice dropping into a dangerously sinister range. He was the one who had turned me into a creature that stopped feeling. The one that for thirteen years did whatever it took to get that artifact, to get it on that plane, and get it to him. He was the one who took away little parts of my humanity and replaced them with darkness. Darkness that was always hid away so my new family wouldn't see, but they were seeing it now.

"You were so talented," he began, his lips twitching up to a evil grin. "So very talented. You had skills your brother could have never dreamed. The moment you walked into a room you could play people however you wanted at such a young age."

Maggie watched as the scene played out in front of her. Sophie's hands balled into fists as Nate deciphered the situation. He was trying to figure out what Anna's ploy was. Eliot was softly scanning the room for a safety plan. Hardison and Sterling just watched silently as Parker looked as though she was fighting with herself to do something.

"So, instead of teaching me to use my skills in life, you forced me to use them for you," Anna growled her steps getting her closer and closer to Moretti and the gun. Suddenly her body language changed. "All I ever wanted was for Mama to stop you."

Maggie's eyes trailed from Sophie, who physically flinched at the word "Mama" to Melissa. Nate saw it to, he saw Anna's ploy. Melissa's face had changed from fear, to shock, to guilt in a flash.

"I knew you never really cared, Daddy." Eliot took a silent step forward, noticing that Anna had Moretti's complete attention. This was one of those moments where Anna's skill sets were obvious. She knew how to control people, she knew how to manipulate them, and sometimes it was frightening the way she did so. "I knew that you couldn't love me the way you were supposed to."

Hardison caught what Eliot was doing, but he felt helpless. This was not his scene. He cared about Anna, but he and Anna had a bond that was very different from anyone else's. He wasn't emotionally shut off like Anna and Parker, and he couldn't say that he had seen people killed around him. But he and Anna shared a bond that even he had a tendency to over look. She was his first real friend and he was hers. He already came so close to losing her this week and he wasn't sure if he could go through that again.

"I made you great!" he countered. "Love would have made you weak! It did make you weak!"

"Love made me want to keep living!" she shot back immediately. Her voice cutting through the air with such pain that Hardison turned his gaze back to her. "I was scared that if I left, if I didn't get on that plane, that no one would love me the way Mama loved me because everything you made me do! Do you even know what you made me do?" Anna's voice cracked slightly.

A lump grew in Maggie's throat and she could only imagine what was going through Sophie's mind. Anna always seemed cut off, no matter how close you got to her she still had secrets. Granted, Maggie knew that much of Anna's new family was the same way.

"You collected the artifacts," Moretti said simply.

"I let people die so I could get home! I hid artifacts on other people and watched them get drug away and beat. I heard the gun shots, I saw the white sheets! You don't even realize what the world is like out there!" Anna spat her voice dangerous as she was now about five feet away from Moretti's gun. "But I did it because I thought the only person who could ever still love me, after all you turned me into to, was my mother. And she chose some bloody pills over me."

"You think that'll make me feel bad for you?" Moretti hissed. "You were supposed to do your job. That's all! You could have been the best in the world one day instead you're worthless. You're nothing but a criminal with a conscience. How far do you think that will get you?"

Anna stood completely still as he straightened his aim. "Your revolver holds five bullets. Two of which you've already used. One for me and you have two left with a room full of people. You won't make it out of here alive," she said completely calm.

Moretti shrugged. "I don't care as long as you die too."

*Anna*

I swallowed hard, looking past the gun into my father's eyes. He was wear all my darkness came from. "Go to hell," I spat, my voice icy.

Of course, my father only smiled at that. "Save me a seat, bitch."

The sound of a gunshot filled the room that was followed by complete silence. I didn't even realize I closed my eyes until I felt someone pulling me back by my shoulders.

As I opened them, I saw my father gasping for air and my mother standing behind him, the gun still in her hands. The gun that I knew my father kept in the desk only feet from where my mother was standing. Was it wrong that I had successfully manipulated my mother into shooting my father? Perhaps I'd just add it to my list of sins that are going to one day take me to hell one day, just not today.

Mama fell to her knees, crying as she touched my father's face and a pool of blood formed beneath him. "I'm so sorry," she cried to him, holding his face. "I'm so sorry." She kept crying, pulling my father's body closer to her.

I knew my mother would never apologize to me for my childhood, but that was okay. I forgave her.

Eliot held me against, him as I turned and cried into his chest. Truthfully, I wasn't sure why I was crying, I just couldn't stop.

Suddenly another gunshot rang out and everyone jumped, spinning back around to the two people on the floor. I watched as my mother fell back and my father let his arm fall and the smoking revolver hit the ground.

No, that didn't happen. "Mama?" I called softly waiting for her to get up. "Mama?" I called again, this time with much more force.

I bolted away from Eliot toward the people on the ground, but I didn't touch them. I didn't get any closer to them than a couple yards. My mother had a hole in her chest and my father had one in his back. I suppose it was kind of poetic. In the end I had still stabbed my father in the back and he still broke my mother's heart and she still left me.

That night Sophie didn't even bother going to her own bed. Instead, she went straight to my room. She examined me as I held teddy out for her to take. "I don't want him anymore."

Sophie took him as Phantom jumped on my bed and made himself comfortable. "Okay," she said softly.

She placed the bear down on the dresser and took me into her arms. She stayed silent for a long time as she held me there. "I wish…" Sophie began but stopped and sighed.

"I know," I replied softly. "Me too."

That night I fell asleep in Sophie's arms, my head resting on her shoulder. I'm sure she didn't sleep at all, constantly ready for me to wake up screaming. But that night, my dream was different.

_The world was white, but for once I wasn't afraid. Sam was standing beside me, letting go of my hand as he skipped toward the blue eyed woman. "You're going to be alright Anna," the woman told me, placing a hand on my shoulder and looking into my eyes. "You're allowed to be happy."_

_I looked up at her. "I don't feel like I am. I don't feel like I'm worthy of my team. They care so much about me…"_

_The woman smiled gently. "My son feels the same way about the team. Yes, you all drive him crazy sometimes, but there is so much love there." Then suddenly the woman frowns. "Maybe that's my fault. His father was never very good at making him feel loved either."_

_I looked up at her and tried to smile. "I love Nate a lot, he's the best dad I could ask for."_

_Sam suddenly began laughing. "She's not Dad's mom!" He shook his as though I was completely clueless. _

_I blinked at the two of them. "What? Then who are you?"_

_The woman sighed deeply but smiled. "My name's Laura. One day Eliot may tell you about me, just give him time."_

_I wanted to ask more questions, but Laura looked at Sam. "It's time to go Sam," she said gently offering her hand out to the little boy. _

_Sam ran towards me and threw his arms around me in a hug. "I think I would have like you as a big sister," he told me as I returned the hug. As he pulled away, I rested my hands on his shoulders. "Take care of Dad for me okay? And make sure he doesn't screw things up with Sophie. I like her too."_

_Laura smiled but shook her head. "Come on Sam, we haven't got all day."_

_Sam started walking backwards toward her never taking his eyes off of me. "And tell him you love him, because sometimes he needs to hear it and…" he stopped and smiled at me. "I've always got your back, sis."_

_My heart leaped to my throated and all I could do was nodded as he waved at me, softly being consumed by the light. Then in was just me and Laura. She ran a hand over my face and smiled at me. "Keep Eliot on his toes, alright? And make sure he looks out for the whole family. He deserves a good one."_

_I nodded trying not to cry. "And you be sure that Parker and Hardison are taken care of too," she reminded me and I nodded again. Smiling at me she pressed her lips to my forehead. "Good girl. You're team has a lot of people looking out for them up here."_

_And just that, she too was gone._

I jumped awake, immediately getting the attention of Sophie and Nate who had somehow appeared in my room since I had fallen asleep.

"Are you alright? Another bad dream?" Sophie asked running a hand over my face.

Slowly I shook my head and looked up at my parents. "I think those are done for now."

_**I think I'm going to go straight into Girl's Night. Seeing Tara will brighten everything up. Plus, we know that Anna will probably love Tara and Tara will probably be less than thrilled. Any who! Please review!**_


	53. Girl's Night Out

_**This chapter is much less dramatic than the past ones. Thank goodness right? Those chapter are emotionally exhausting for me!**_

Sophie was in Nate's bathroom applying lipstick as I straightened my hair and brushed on blush. Nate was not happy that we had taken over his bathroom, but he wasn't really complaining either. At least we cleaned up after ourselves. Usually he would just mutter something about no one respecting his stuff and move on.

"So, where are you going tonight?" she asked me as I stole her lipstick and put it on.

"I love that we have the same skin tone!" I told her smoothing the fabric of my grey dress, before checking my mascara for clumps.

Sophie stopped fiddling with her hair and turned her attention to me, giving me a hard once over. "Anna, you're avoiding my question."

I placed her lipstick back down on the counter and batted my clump-free eyelashes. "Nothing bad, I swear. But you told me I had to find something to do since you're going out and Nate's playing poker with the boys."

She looked concerned. "You and Parker aren't doing something, are you? Because I really don't want another ER trip. Your stitches only just came out."

I groaned. "No, Parker is hanging out with some Peggy chick."

Sophie looked impressed but I still wasn't off the hook. "Nothing too dangerous, no drinking, and please don't get caught," she told me kissing my forehead and heading back down the steps.

"Wait a second!" I called after her, following her down the steps. "What makes you think I'm going to go do something illegal?"

Sophie stopped on the steps, nearly making me collide into her. "You're either doing a con, by yourself, which means I'll kill you," she said leaning against the railing as she studied me. "Or you're going out with a boy that you have yet to mention to any of the men in this apartment because I haven't heard any hostile comments."

She took a deep breath and put both hands on my face. "Whatever you do, just please, _please, _stay out of trouble and do not get hurt."

I sighed irritably. "Why do you always say that?"

"Because trouble seems to follow you," Nate said as he walked by the staircase not even looking up at us. "Listen to Sophie," he added even though he had obviously not heard a large portion of the conversation. Sophie just rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"At least he knows to agree with me," she muttered.

"Sophie!" Parker called as we reached the kitchen. "Sophie, I need to talk to you!" she said as Sophie fished her bracelet out of her purse and buckled it on her wrist.

"Not tonight Parker," Sophie sighed as I took pulled a stray hair off of Sophie's white dress. Her dress did make me curious as to where she was going even thought I was pretty sure she wasn't going out to see a guy.

"Not even for a little while?" Parker whined.

"Uh-uh. I told you. I have plans," Sophie chided examining me and my outfit one more time, checking me for flaws. Sometimes I felt more like a doll than a daughter.

Parker groaned and looked at me. "How much do you know about boys?"

Sophie cut in before I could even answer. "You are not going to a teenager for relationship advice. We'll talk tomorrow Parker."

I glared at Sophie. "Yeah, so she should ask the forty something year old single-" The look I got from Sophie was so hellish I cowered. "I'm sorry. I love you." She kept the glare until I hurried away nearly colliding with Hardison and a card table. "Shutting up!" I felt safer with a counter top between us.

Nate appeared again. "I just got a phone message from Detective Bonanno, saying that he… he wants to come over. He's—"

Then he saw the card table set out. I glanced at Sophie. Did she not tell him about the poker game? The expression on her face told me she was prepared for this fight.

"Your father had a poker game for thirty years. Police, criminals at the same table. This is good for you," she insisted.

"Yes, I want to be like my father. Good insight, Sophie," Nate snapped sarcastically. Then he looked at me. "Where are you going?"

Hurrying around to the other side of the counter, I decided that dealing with Sophie's anger was better than answering Nate's question.

Eliot raised his eyebrow at Sophie. "Nice."

She just brushed it off, because deep down Nate knew he needed some sort of socialization.

"You know, living inside your own head, Nate, only having conversations with your crew, that ain't right," Eliot told him as we all watched Nate go for a glass and some scotch.

We all made a sound of agreement. "Name one person you can have a conversation with who isn't on this team."

Nate turned around ready to retort, but we all glared at him. "And don't say Maggie!" we all snapped at once.

"Look, I got my buddies that were in the service. Hardison's got his little internet friends. They're all elves and gnomes…" Eliot went on.

"Orcs! They're orcs!" Hardison growled making Eliot just roll his eyes.

"And Anna's got…" he looked at me funny. "She's sixteen, she's got time to find friends."

I gave him an irritable look. "Hey! I have friends! I'm going out tonight!"

Nate looked at me. "Which bring me back to where are you going?"

Sophie stepped in for me, I could tell she was trying to give me a small amount of freedom. "I have dinner plans. Even Parker's meeting a friend tonight," Sophie told him, putting on her coat. She smiled a little as he noticeably check her out with a hint of concern for who she was dressed up for.

Parker nodded with pride. "Mm-hm. Remember Peggy from the jury thing in LA? Technically she's Alice's friend."

We all sighed. "You are Alice," we all reminded her.

"She moved to Boston last year, so we've been doing brunch and other normal-people stuff," Parker continued not missing a beat.

"And we're all very proud of you," Sophie told her as pulled her hair out from her coat.

Parker looked confused. "For doing brunch? It's not that hard. There are forks."

"So, girls' night out, boys' night poker. It's character-building for everyone," Sophie cheered leaning over the counter to give Nate a brief peck on the cheek. "Have fun," she told him.

I could hear Sophie give Eliot strict instructions to make Nate put forth effort, but I leaned over the counter and pecked his cheek too. "I'll see you tomorrow!" I told him before following Sophie out the door.

"You didn't answer me! Where are you going?" Nate called after us, Parker joining us on our journey to the elevator.

"You've got Phantom tonight!" I called just before Parker closed the door.

"I've got to talk to you," Parker said to Sophie as we stepped into the elevator.

Sophie sighed again. "No, I can't right now, I'm in a hurry."

"No, it'll only take a second," Parker tried, but Sophie was really beginning to get frustrated.

"It's not a good time."

Parker held the elevator open and stared at Sophie. "Wait!"

Sophie groaned. "Parker, in or out? Come on."

"No. You know that thing you do when you fix whatever I'm doing wrong?" Parker said to Sophie looking like a sad puppy.

"You mean advice?" Sophie tried to be patient but I could tell this was only pushing her limit. Parker nodded. "I'm guessing you and Hardison?"

"Mmm. Ok. So, he knows stuff, right? And I know stuff too. But my stuff is completely different from his stuff," Parker rambled making Sophie take a deep breath and glance at her watch.

"Ok. Alright, yeah. It's just typical early relationship jitters, all right?" Sophie said quickly, pushing Parker's arm away from the door and letting the door start to shut. "Just be patient, and soon you'll be… you'll be thick as thieves."

But Parker was quick to stop the door again. "Wait! You haven't fixed me yet and you said Anna can't fix me because she's a kid!"

Sophie whined. "Oh, come on. I'm late and I'm sure Anna has things to do too." She looked at me for help.

I blinked. "Yeah. Of course. Late." I said obviously distracted.

"Can't you talk to your friend Peggy?" Sophie asked, really trying to get out the door.

Parker sighed. "No, she's got a blind date. I'm supposed to go check him out first to make sure iluvpaws72 isn't a disaster."

I could already tell her that with a name like that it was bound to be terrible. Of course, you don't tell Parker that though.

"Who?" Sophie said sounding exhausted by the conversation.

"Obviously one of those online dating things," I told her and she nodded her head blankly.

"They met online on some cat website," Parker began talking fast and let go of the door. "But she doesn't know what he looks like-"

The door began to close and Sophie placed her hand on her forehead. "Good night, Parker. Have a good night."

And then the door was closed.

I looked at Sophie and frowned. "That wasn't very nice."

Sophie sighed and shook her head. "One night. I just want one night," she said mostly to herself. Then she looked up. "Wait a second, how are you getting where ever you are going? You don't have a car."

Yes, my poor camaro lived a very short life only to be totaled after getting hit and me nearly dying. Sophie didn't mind me driving her car every now and then but tonight it was obvious she needed it. I shrugged. "I can walk. It's no big deal, someone's picking me up."

All night, Sophie had tried very hard to respect the fact I didn't want to tell her what I was doing, but I think she had finally figured it out, at least she thought she had. She gave me a motherly look. "Please be careful, and stay out of trouble."

Then the elevator dinged and Sophie looked at me, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "You look beautiful, darling." As the doors opened she walked to the back door. "Text me and keep me in the loop with what you're doing. Just please _no trouble_."

What was I really doing? I was hitting a club with Aaron and his friends. They all had fake ID's, just not quite as legit as mine. Almost as soon as I made it outside, Aaron pulled up on his motorcycle. He smiled at me in my shiny grey dress that came up to a barely acceptably grifter length.

"Looking good, Ans!" he told me tossing me a helmet and I climbed on behind him.

"You say that as though you're surprised," I tossed back as we both grinned.

Okay, so Aaron wasn't every parents dream, but it wasn't like I was dating him. He was my friend. My friend that I tended to get into a little trouble with, all of which was dealt with before any of the team found out about it. Plus, I realized drinking wasn't really my thing, that's why I was usually the DD.

"Haven't seen you in a couple weeks, what happened?" Aaron asked as the engine roared and he smiled at me over his shoulder.

"Oh you know," I shrugged smiling at him. "Stuff."

Aaron laughed. "Anna Clive, why does it seem like you have some secret life or something?" he teased me.

I grinned at him. "Maybe I do."

And just like we were off to meet the rest of the his friends at the club down town.

Sophie held up her glass and smiled at her friend. "To a night of unbridled debauchery," she toasted.

Tara clinked her shot glass against Sophie's martini. "I'll drink to that."

It was great to see her friend again, especially after such a long time. It was hard to believe that it had nearly been two years, but considering how much had happened since then, it was almost like saying it was _only_ two years.

Both women sat at a table in club downtown and neither woman had paid for the drinks in their hands. The perks of being grifters, because there were definitely plenty, and this night was a night to celebrate them all.

Sophie sipped her drink and laid it on the table. "Tara, we've been friends for so long. Why do we never work together?"

Tara shrugged and pushed her hair off her shoulder. "Well, you only need one grifter per crew. Besides, I heard you already have another little grifter, what's her name? Annie?"

Sophie sighed, exhausted just by hearing her name. With everything that had happened lately, she had been so stressed lately that a night out with Tara was a blessing. She loved Anna, more than anything, but sometimes she needed a night off to be the old Sophie she used to be.

"Anna. She's quite the handful at times," Sophie muttered. "But she's good. Better than I was when I first met you."

Tara raised her eyebrow. "Parker told me that she was fun, which meant she's probably a more than a handful."

Sophie gave a tired smile. "She's a great kid."

It was there for only a second, but Tara saw it. "Oh my God. Sophie Devereaux has gone domestic mother on me!" she uttered with shock.

Sophie looked alarmed. "No I haven't! Trust me, I still am the grifter you know and love," she assured her friend.

Tara looked at her skeptically, reading Sophie's face for all information. "And you're dating Nate!" she shot at her making Sophie scoff.

"We're _sleeping together_ not actually dating," she clarified, glancing over her shoulder as habit to be sure no one was listening.

Tara shrugged. "That's the official story, but what's the real story Devereaux?" she pressed, her tone teasing. Sophie knew she couldn't get away with lying to her friend, just like her friend couldn't get away with lying to her. They were pretty evenly matched grifters, though their styles were completely different.

Sophie sighed and reached for her martini. "It's not like you didn't see this happening eventually," she said rolling her eyes.

Tara knew all her and Nate's stories. From the time Sophie saw him to when he came back into her life after her decided retirement. And as much as Tara dislike Nate, she respect him. In small ways she could understand why her friend had so hopelessly fallen for him over a decade ago. Still, she could see something was different with her friend now, especially when it came to Nate.

"Does this have something to do with Anna?" Tara asked gently, sensing her friend's emotion.

Taking in a breath, Sophie thought about that. Then she shrugged. "This was there before Anna, though she has changed him in a way too. She's changed all of us. But Nate and I have always been like magnets. Even after all this time."

They sat there in silence for a moment. Tara understood where she was coming from and envied her. She had never felt like something was pulling her toward someone like Sophie was describing, but she could imagine it had to be a very intense emotion.

Finally Tara sighed and looked at Sophie. "So, let's see a picture of Anna. After all, I'm sure I'll be hearing about her a fair part of the night, might as well have a face to go with the name."

Sophie grinned and pulled her phone out of her clutch and showed her a picture of Anna sitting with her cello, her eyes closed as she was bringing the bow across the strings. Sliding her finger across the screen there was a picture of her grinning at the camera as she sat on the piano bench just finishing up a song.

Tara shrugged, seemingly bored. "Pretty, good trait for a grifter. Still, she's going to have to grow up a little to do much harm."

Giving her friend a soft smile, Sophie shook her head. "Don't underestimate her."

*Anna*

The club was definitely just getting into full swing and I had already politely declined three drinks, telling each of the boys I'm the DD but I did accept the coke that I was given instead. Aaron and Michael had already been done with the original drinks while Tanner and Matt we're taking things much slower. I was the only girl in the group, but I liked it that way. I was also the youngest. Aaron was seventeen, Michael and Tanner were nineteen and Matt was twenty. None of them cared much about my age probably because it tended to slip their minds. After all, I had a tendency of being ageless.

"Anna!" Aaron called to me as he stumbled toward me and I laughed having to catch him not quite stopping him from plowing into me. "The guys said that they can drive me home, care to take my bike back to your place?" he asked offering me the motorcycle's keys. He studied me for a moment. "You're not mad, are you?"

"Not at all!" I told him honestly. "Besides, I don't know how well I can balance a motorcycle with a drunk guy on my back."

We both laughed, tonight was actually turning out to be a lot of fun. Michael came over to me and grabbed my hand. "You're too pretty to not be dancing," he teased me sounding only friendly and not like he was hitting on me. The guys were good about keeping me as just one of the guys, a guy that they weren't afraid to dance dirty with.

He pulled me back toward the dance floor along with Tanner and Matt who were waiting, but I bumped into a chair and nodded a white clutch onto the floor. Quickly I bent down to pick it up. "I'm so sorry," I told the woman not looking at her as I quickly pushed the clutch back on the table as I continued getting drug along behind the guys.

"Anna?" The voice stopped me in my tracks making all the guys glance back at me.

Slowly, I turned around to the owner of the white clutch. I knew that thing look a little too familiar. "Hi, Mom," I muttered, already dropping my eyes to the floor and ready for Sophie to blow up.

I didn't have to look up to see that she was fuming, but what I wasn't expecting was to hear an unfamiliar laugh almost right in my ear. I looked up to see a blond woman sitting across from Sophie. She was pretty and about the same age as Sophie but her features were near opposite. As dark as Sophie's hair was, hers was light, as olive as Sophie's skin, she was fair. Even Sophie's white dress that was classy, business and fun contradicted this woman's black dangerous and sexy dress.

I wanted to say something but at the moment I was a little leery to. In fact, I still hadn't gotten the nerve to look at Sophie yet.

"Anna, what are you doing here," Sophie hissed making the blond only laugh harder.

Taking a quick glance I noticed that all four of the guys I had come here with were looking between me and Sophie, a look mixed with fear and curiousity.

"Aaron, you didn't tell us Anna's mom was a MILF!" Tanner, the usually quiet one said a little too loud. My ears burned with embarrassment while the blond looked like she was going to fall over in her chair she was laughing so hard.

"Guys…" I warned tossing a dangerous look over my shoulder. Matt took the hint first.

"Come on guys, we better go," he muttered pushing his drunk friends toward the door. Good thing at least one of them was half sober.

Slowly, I turned and looked up at Sophie. She wasn't nearly as angry as I had imagined. "Outside," she demanded coolly, collecting her clutch and jacket and directing me with a firm grip on my shoulder. The blond followed behind us as we took the back way out of the club.

As we made it into the ally, Sophie crossed her arms and tapped her foot at me. "I gave you three rules! Three rules! And you do this?"

"I didn't break any of your rules!" I countered, glaring at her. "I didn't drink, I didn't do a con, I didn't get in trouble!"

Sophie raised her eyebrow. "You're in trouble now."

Okay, well she had me there. "Seriously, I was being responsible." I held up my glass. "It's just coke. I was just the DD and really not even that. I'm just taking Aaron's bike home."

This still didn't please Sophie. "It better be a bike with foot pedals and a little bell," she snapped, knowing it wasn't.

"So you're telling me that all four of those boys are just your friends?" the blond suddenly jumped in.

I looked at her, very confused. Who the hell was this chick? "Yes?"

Suddenly she started laughing. "Half-Pint doesn't even know half her skills!" Extending her hand she smiled at me. "The name's Tara, if you want to learn how to use those big doe eyes for evil, I'd be happy to help."

Sophie glared at her friend while I just studied her. "I take it you're some sort of grifter and a friend of Sophie's?"

Tara pulled her hand back and placed it on her hip. "Sophie and I go way back. But I can see why she took you in." She turned to Sophie. "You two actually kind of look alike."

Neither of us said a word to her, Sophie just turned back to me. "You're going home and Nate and I will talk about your punishment."

Just then her phone rang and she answered it with surprising amount of force in her voice. "Hello?" she snapped.

Tara turned back to me, losing interest in Sophie again. "So, what's your poison?" she asked me. When I only responded with a confused look she tried again. "Art? Cash? Jewelry? Just enjoy toying with people? Who were you before you were the team's pet?"

I nearly growled at her and before I could even answer she was laughing again. "You can tell that Eliot's worn off on you some," she informed me.

"I was an artifact mule," I told her, my voice incredibly icy.

Tara's face didn't falter for longer than half a second, but I saw it. Then she was right back to her usual self as Sophie held out a photo on her phone for us to look at. It was a familiar face, but only because of my history. "Craig Mattingly?" I offered Sophie, surprising her a little. "Bad guy. Australia 2007. What's up?"

Sophie hung up the phone. "Apparently that's iluvpaws72. A wanted criminal. So what does he want with little Peggy?"

This time I finally felt a connection with Tara as we both smiled. "Let's find out."

_**And the fun begins! Hehehe. Our favorite women kicking ass and taking names in the next chapter. Plus, I'm sure we haven't heard the end of Anna's night out either. Anyone else think we can incorporate the motorcycle in somehow? **_


	54. Nothing

_**Okay, SUPER long chapter, I hope you don't mind. There is a lot in this chapter and I maybe should have turned it into two chapters, but I want to know what you guys think. Next chapter I think will be more little sister/big brother Eliot story. **_

It took about fifteen minutes. All we were going to do was search his room to see if there was any reason this world renown thief was targeting Peggy, but first we had to get into the room.

Tara stepped up. "I've got this, just stay over here."

Sophie gave her a look that said get real. "How about you stay over and let me take it?"

Tara looked ready to argue, but I glared at them both. "Sit down. I can do this in my sleep."

Without waiting for a reply, I pushed my hair off my shoulder and moved past the older women who both seemed a little shocked by my outburst. Still, there was a little pride in Sophie's eyes as well.

Smiling at the girl at the front desk I held up a picture of him. "I was wondering if you could tell me what room this man is staying in," I told her shrugging slightly. "See, I backed into his car in the parking lot and I was just going to give him my insurance information and such."

I could tell that the woman looked uncomfortable about the situation, so I softened my expression. "I know it's probably against the rules, but I just want to be sure he gets the information. I can just slide it under the door if he's not there."

The woman still didn't seem one hundred percent sure, but she did give me the room number. Making a quick nodded, Sophie and Tara held the elevator door open for me.

"Surely Half-Pint didn't learn that from you," Tara said to Sophie. She sounded curt, but I had a feeling that was just her personality.

Sophie didn't answer, but I felt the need to nudge her a little with my arm as I hit the button for the eleventh floor. Still, Tara didn't stop.

"I'm a little more low profile than you," Sophie returned. "I don't always walk in, gun blazing. The little everyone knows about you the better you are."

Tara made a snorting sound and I trying to decide whether or not I liked her. Her attitude frustrated me a little, especially when it was directed at Sophie. I often wanted to remind her that Sophie is the grifter that other grifters are afraid of and I had never even heard of her, so she couldn't be that good. But it was also possible she was a strictly cash type of grifter so I wouldn't.

As we made it down the hallway to the room number I held my cell phone up to the lock and used the electronic app Hardison and I created for occasions such as these. Not to mention he was really impressed with me wanting to do something this tech savvy.

"You're really getting good with the tech stuff," Sophie said proudly as the door lock flashed green and beeped, allowing access.

Tara made another sound of disgust but I smiled up at Sophie anyway. Sophie took the lead, slowly taking in every aspect of the room. "Alright, Mattingly, what is your game?" she said as though he was directly in front of her.

Still, Tara had other plans. She immediately went to the dresser and started shifting through the drawers throwing things out as she went. Sophie spun around suddenly showing her irritation. "What are you doing?"

I ignored them both and quietly searched the room without making a mess of the place.

"Uh, searching the place," Tara said as though it was the obvious answer.

"No, no, no! You can't just barge in and wreck the joint," Sophie hissed. "You have to slow down, get acquainted with the environment."

Tara glanced over at her but continued searching. "What, you're not one of those Boylan touchy-feely-vibe types, are you?"

"The Boylan method teaches us to treat search like a crime scene," Sophie said picking up the pair of boxers on the bed and holding them out like she was going to fold them.

Tara scoffed again. "And you're teaching the kid this stuff?" Tara looked at me but I kept searching, moving everything gently. "You know what they taught us at Quantico? Lightning strike, you never have as much time as you think."

The door beeps and Sophie drops the boxers, I straighten up and we all exchange looks. Tara mouths told you as she takes off running toward the closet. Sophie grabs my arm and pulls me along with her throwing me in with them.

We all three watch as two men start trashing the room searching it out. One was pulling the rest of the dresser contents of the dresser onto the floor while the other took a knife to the pillows. Tara leaned over me and whispered, "Quantico."

Sophie muttered it back, obviously annoyed. Suddenly Tara pulled her hand over her nose and squeezed her eyes closed. Then she started fanning her nose, looking as though she was going to sneeze. Both Sophie and I shook our heads. "No!" Sophie hissed barely loud enough to make a sound.

Wishing someone won't sneeze doesn't keep them from sneezing. But as soon as she did Sophie pulled further away from the door. A gun cocked and I could see a man drawing closer. Sophie inhaled but I prepared myself. Sophie wasn't usually a fighter, she could hold her own if she had to but she was definitely a lover, not a fighter.

The man reached for the door and she slammed the door forward but Tara shoved the door forward into the guy's face. I took the chance and dove at the second man while Sophie went for the gun that had landed in the middle of the floor.

I slammed my fist into the guy's nose grabbing his wrist and hand, squeezing the pressure points between his pinky and ring finger and slammed the guys face into the wall. Eliot taught me how to take a guy out quickly. Without killing them. Unless you have to.

Tara on the other hand was taking her sweet time so I jumped in. I went in securing the crook of my elbow around his neck using my other arm as leverage. The guy tried to throw my off by pushing off the floor and slamming me into the wall. Tara took out the guy's legs out from underneath him, making the guys fall back knocking the guy's elbow into my gut, a little too close to where my stitches were.

I groaned, but held tight until the man went limp. Finally I let go and let a breath out of my lungs. Then I glared up at Tara. "Thanks for the ass kicking," I snapped.

Tara shrugged. "I could have taken him," she said curtly. "I didn't need your help."

"Could have fooled me. Either way, haven't you ever heard of putting the safety of the team first?" I shot back, pushing the guy off me and standing up.

This didn't faze Tara at all. "You weren't actually in danger, you're just a little bruised."

Sophie tossed Tara the gun, but gave both of us a serious look. "You don't trust each other, but you both trust me," Sophie said carefully, playing the diplomat. She looked at Tara. "Just try to play like a team." Then she turned to me. "And be patient."

I gave a curt nod, but that was strictly out of respect for Sophie and Tara just raised her brow. I had a feeling we were not going to be best friends.

"So, it's off to the event then?" Sophie asked, watching us carefully to be sure no one was going to start another argument. We both silently agreed and followed Sophie out the door.

We were nearly to the elevator when I heard a familiar voice. "Let me shoot him, Eliot. Move man."

All three of us exchanged looks. What the hell was Hardison doing here? And why was he wanting to shoot people?

We slowly walked around the corner to see Eliot snatching the gun away from Hardison and stare at him like he was stupid. "I told you not to play with this!" he scolded, kicking out the clip and pocketing it. "If I didn't have to worry about you shooting me I could have got them!"

I smiled at the two men as Sophie cleared her throat waiting to be noticed. They both turned around and suddenly looked sheepish, especially Eliot.

"I thought you were playing poker!" Sophie complained. "Where's Nate?"

"Hey boys," Tara said without much of a smile.

They both muttered a quick hello to her before looking up at Sophie. Hardison looked at Eliot and Eliot looked back at them. Obviously they were preparing a lie. "We were just… we tracked Anna here and we need to borrow her. Can't play poker with police and criminals without a ref," Hardison said quickly, his face on fire.

Sophie glared at him. "I know you're lying, but I'm a little busy to care," she looked down at me. "Go help them out, when you're done just meet us at the event, sound okay?"

I nodded again, tossing one last glare at Tara which she returned with a smirk. They disappeared into the elevator and I looked at the two men in front of me.

"So, did Nate escape after all and now you're trying to find him so you don't have to deal with Sophie? Because I'll tell you what, I already took the lead in pissing her off tonight," I muttered shaking my head a little.

"Close enough," Eliot decided and grabbed me by the arm and started filling me in on the details as we headed toward another room to search.

Nate sat in the basement of the church still angrily contemplating how he ended up at an AA meeting, sitting next to a guy he hadn't even seen in over two years. Of course Nate was an alcoholic but he didn't really care to fix that at the moment. He was a little too fixated on the fact he had the Irish mob after him.

Actually, the Irish mob wasn't after him, they were after Hurley. The poor guy didn't know how to keep himself out of trouble and carrying some drugs across the border for a not so nun Sister Lupe just showed how ignorant this guy was. In a small, _small_ way, Nate actually kind of felt for the guy. He seemed to honestly want to do something right and it just wasn't working. Still, Nate wasn't fond of the guy.

So what if he helped Hurley get sober? Nate didn't want to get sober. In his eyes he wasn't hurting anyone but himself. He was just still coping. Still trying to lick his wounds. But at the moment he had to stop licking his wounds so he'd be alive to lick them later.

He didn't care if it was an act of God that put him in this AA meeting, it was going to take an act of God to keep him from strangling Hurley because of his blunt ignorance.

All Nate needed was a phone so he could get out of this. Then he got an idea. Hurley was going on about his story and the reasons he got clean and sober when Nate suddenly raised his hand.

"Yeah. Hey, I… I'd like to talk next," Nate said carefully, as he stood up.

Hurley nearly jumped for joy. "Yeah! Come on, everybody!" he cheered as Nate moved up to the podium. Suddenly Nate found himself being pulled into another hug, even though he had pretty bluntly told him to stop touching him. "This is the guy that helped me get clean and sober. Which is totally weird because he's kinda messed up himself."

Nate awkwardly got away from the large man and nodded at him. "Thanks, Hurley."

He cleared his throat, trying to think of the best possible way to begin this and get the result he needed. "Well, I drink too much. I mean…" he sighed. "Who can say how much it too much?"

Suddenly everyone's hand in the room shot up and he found himself swallowing his annoyance. _Of course they can… _

"The point is that I hurt a lot of people. And you people, very special, self involved people…" _Shove your belief down my throat, self righteous people. _"You pointed out to me today that I need to make amends. You know, and I wish that I could reach out and make amends to say, my ex-wife or my daughter, who I hurt." For a brief second the words felt real, but he swallowed them back down quickly.

Hurley looked at Nate in shock. "Dude, I didn't even know you had a daughter."

Nate ignored him. "Now if I had a cell phone right now, you know, I'd call my daughter up, and I would start the healing process just so all of you could take the credit." And just like that phones were being pushed at him. He smiled at them and kindly accepted one from someone in the front row.

His idea originally was to call Eliot or Hardison, but Anna would take in what he had to say as well call both the boys. He knew Anna was a bit more resourceful and would be able to get passed two mob members without blinking an eye, Eliot and Hardison on the other hand may find that a little more difficult.

Quickly he dial Anna's number.

*Anna*

After searching the room, all we had come up with was a valet ticket and an overnight bag packed for a couple of days. Then my phone started ringing. It wasn't a familiar number, but I still answered it.

"Hello?" I said casiously, taking a seat on the bed.

"_Anna? It's Dad." _I blinked. It was definitely Nate, but usually he didn't refer to himself as "Dad". Before I could ask anything he started speaking again. _"Don't hang up! Don't hang up! Please don't hang up."_

I looked at Eliot who was now watching me. "Nate? Are you okay?"

There was a sigh on the other end of the phone. _"No, I'm calling. I want to apologize. Need to ask for your forgiveness. From you and your mother. Okay?" _

This only confused me more. "Nate, are you drunk?"

"_No, I am not drunk," _he snapped back defensively. _"I'm with Hurley."_

"Hurley?" I repeated looking up at Hardison and Eliot. "Who the hell is Hurley?"

Both of them looked at each other. "Hurley?" Hardison said as though testing out the name. "The guy from the rehab job?"

There was a rehab job? Quickly mental noting that as Eliot grabbed the phone and put it on speaker phone.

"Can you talk, man?" Eliot asked as I sat Indian style on the bed.

"_I can't say everything I want to say, but I'm with Hurley, I'm in a safe place, and I'm with a lot of really nice, very supportive new friends,"_ Nate said casually.

I think I was the only one who put it together, but I didn't say it out loud. Nate was most definitely in an AA meeting. That would explain the rehab job and the Hurley guy, not to mention the slight edge in his voice if you listened close enough.

"I think we met a couple of your friends. Mexican hitters," Eliot grumbled.

"_Yeah, no, no. You know what it reminds me of, sweetheart? I'm actually in the very church I used to take you so you could play piano. The one with the balcony that you love so much?" _Nate corrected.

So now we had a location, but we had more than that. "So we've got Mexican hitters and you've got Irish? What the hell's going on Nate?" I snapped trying to put the pieces together but not having the best of luck.

"_Yes, dear,"_ Nate sighed, obviously thankful I was putting something together. _"It was Hurley that brought me here."_

Okay, so we had the Irish and Mexican hitters after this Hurley guy. That much I got.

"_I just wanted to basically say I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry about the car."_

Eliot looked at me. "The car?"

I grumbled. "He's obviously not talking about my camaro. You found a valet ticket, it must be that car."

Hardison ran an impatient hand over his face. "Are you saying there's something in Hurley's car?"

"_Yeah, and… sorry about the bag of drugs. I should have never put that on you," _Nate continued and you could hear the mumbling in the background. _"Wanted to apologize for that."_

Eliot nodded. "Alright, we're on our way." I got to my feet ready to follow.

Nate heard them start moving, but he wasn't finished yet. He still needed Anna to get them out of the church. "Anna! Anna, wait."

"_Yeah, Nate?" _

"Will you meet me tonight? I want to apologize in person," he said softly. Suddenly real emotion hit him. In so many ways he did have a lot to apologize for and not all of it was about his drinking. He wanted to apologize for referring to her as a misfit toy, for not always being the father that she deserved.

"_Do you want me to bring Eliot and Hardison?" _she asked, obviously not sensing the same emotion.

Still, his words caught in his throat. "No, that's okay. I understand. Just… Anna?"

This time his words hit her, he could tell even over the phone as her tone softened. _"Yeah Nate?"_

He turned away from the group of people, as though doing so would keep them from hearing his words. "I'm really lucky to have you. You're a great kid."

*Anna*

His words stopped me dead in my tracks as I watched Hardison and Eliot hurry ahead. I smiled softly, even though he couldn't see it. If he had been there right then and said those words, I wasn't sure what I would have done.

"You're a great dad, Nate."

I could hear him cough, the way he always did when he was feeling too much emotion. _"Thanks, sweetheart."_

I could tell he was about to hang but I had something else to say. "Nate!" I said quickly, hoping it wasn't too late.

"_Yes, Anna?"_

I took a deep breath. "I love you too."

The breath he sucked in made me smile. _"I love you, Ans." _

Sophie and I said I love you regularly, but Nate's relationship with me was very different than mine and Sophie's. He was less emotional than Sophie and more shut off. Still, when it came down to it, it was nice to hear him say those words.

The bar was a couple blocks away and I could get a car there. Hopefully Eliot won't mind if I stole his challenger for a couple hours.

Nate put down the phone and took a deep breath. He couldn't get himself to look up at the crowd just yet. But he could hear Hurley and the others applauding him and the terrible, awful word "hug" so Nate quickened his recovery.

Grabbing Hurley by the arm he directed him to the back of the room.

"I'm super proud of you man, but I have to say, I'm a little hurt I never knew about your kid! I mean, I thought we were friends," Hurley told him, shrugging slightly. "Also, you may need to make amends with your wife about having a girlfriend…"

Nate grumbled. This is what he got for being a good guy. "Listen, Anna is coming to get us. She works with us."

Hurley frowned. "You encourage your daughter to break the law, that's kind of considered bad parenting."

Nate was really beginning to get frustrated. "Just shut up and hold tight for about ten minutes."

Hurley didn't argue, but the meeting ended shortly after that and he kept complimenting Nate on how well he did for his first AA meeting. It was taking Nate a lot to remind himself that he can't punch the guy, especially not in church. Finally Nate pulled Hurley up by the arm and dragged him away from the crowd of people that were taking basement exit.

Nate ran up the steps to the front door of the church. Granted he knew this probably wasn't the best exit, but there weren't a lot of options and Anna wouldn't be far behind. What he wasn't expecting was the not-so nun.

"Hurley?"

Both of the men spun around to see a Mexican woman in a nun's habit. Though Nate looked less than please, Hurley was ecstatic. "Sister Lupe!" Suddenly she pulled a gun and pointed at the two of them. Then his entire body language fell. "Sister Lupe," he repeated, this time more disappointed than anything.

"What do you say we take this into the chapel?" she suggested.

Nate didn't argue. She was small, and though he knew better to underestimate someone's size (thanks to Anna) he decided that it was better not to risk gun fire in a church. He nodded slightly and took the he lead toward the chapel.

*Anna*

Sophie would be proud to know I sprinted three blocks in heels in a dress. Though it did bother me that people walked by a sixteen year old in dress and no one even stop to ask if I was okay. Then again, I'm not in Missouri anymore. But as I ran up the stairs of the bar I was a little taken back to see two men standing in Nate's kitchen.

One, if I had to guess, looked like a cop while the other one looked a bit more like a male model, not that I was complaining. I gave them both odd looks, not sure I should just turn around and pretend I didn't just walk into the apartment or continue with what I was doing. Phantom was just watching me calmly from his spot on the floor so I thought it was safe to assume that these people weren't bad.

"Uh, hi?" I said awkwardly, taking my first steps into the kitchen and going for the bowl of keys on the bar.

Both of the men looked at me and I realized I must have been quite a sight after running three blocks. "You are?" the model looking one asked carefully.

I stopped in my tracks and crossed my arms. "I think I'm supposed to be asking you that question." Then it clicked. "You were playing poker with Nate, weren't you?" Finally the older man nodded and I smiled at him. "You must be Detective Bonanno," I said getting back into my charm like Sophie had taught me, politely extending my hand. "I'm Anna."

Bonanno suddenly relaxed and smiled at me. "Ah yes, I was warned about you. The spit-fire rule breaker teenager?"

I grinned at him. "Yep, that's me." I then glanced back at the clock on the wall. Nate stressed the time sensitive manner. "Sorry, as much as I would enjoy a proper introduction, I kinda have to go get Nate out of an AA meeting."

Snatching the dodge keys and a couple earbuds out of the bowl, I took off back out of the door but not without making a mental note to get the male model's name. Damn, he was cute. Then I stopped and threw open the door. I needed one last thing.

I slid into the challenger and hit the gas, not even bothering to adjust the seats. The church wasn't far and I had to get there, get Nate out, give him the car, get back to the bar to get Aaron's motorcycle and then get to the tango thing. This was going to be a long night.

Throwing the car into park right in front of the church, I climbed out and looked at the two men standing in front of doors. Obviously not top level hitters, but they had guns and I didn't. Though, the Irish usually did have strong Catholic beliefs. I could use that.

Taking a few steps toward the church, I gave the two boys my best smile. "You know a church is open twenty-four seven right?" I teased gently.

One thing I took pride in was making an Irishman blush and nothing like making two blush. "We're just waiting for one of our friends," one said quickly.

"Oh, I see," I replied quietly. "Well, I have some to take some boxes into the church if you wouldn't mind helping me. They're just in my car."

One man nodded immediately while the other had a slight hesitation before getting hit in the arm. Giving them another charming smile, I motioned them to follow me. Taking my sweet time to turn the key to the passenger side door, I threw it open and watched Phantom jump out and land on one of the men, growling fiercly while the other struggled to find his gun, which I had already lifted.

Pointing the gun at him and reaching down for the other man's I smiled sadly at them as Phantom got off of them but kept his low growl. "Why don't we make this easy and you two just zip tie your hands and I'll lock you in the trunk. No hard feelings?"

The men only nodded as I tossed zip ties. Sometimes I felt like it was obvious I spent too much time with Eliot.

Phantom was hot on my heels as I sprinted into the front doors of the church, a gun in hand and the other already thrown into the passenger seat of the car. Taking a hard corner into the chapel I turned to see Nate punch out a nun. I stopped dead in my tracks.

"Um… I think you may be going to hell for that…" I muttered, handing Nate keys and an earbud. "Good luck, but I got to go."

"Wait, that's your daughter?" the man I assumed was Hurley asked Nate as I headed back for the door. All I could do was smile as Nate hummed in confirmation.

It was another four blocks to the club to get Aaron's motorcycle and then it was off to the event Peggy was catering. I felt like it had been an hour of nonstop physical running in heels. My feet were probably going to hate me tomorrow but I would deal with it later.

The club was in full swing and I noticed Michael's car was still parked around back, so they were still enjoying the night. It was my night that was getting cut short of all the fun. Groaning slightly, I slid the key into the ignition and threw my leg over the bike. I cursed the fact that I would probably look even worse when I caught up with Sophie and Tara, but I would have to deal with that when I got there too.

Mattingly was selling something and there three men with briefcases as potential buyers. That much they figured out. It just took them a second to explain that to me. A minute they were not very patient with considering there was a bomb and Parker and Mattingly who was once the bad guy but is not reformed as a good guy, even though it was just because he got caught… Anyway.

I was fighting my way through the cloud to see Sophie on the phone while Tara watched her, actually looking nervous. I couldn't help but smile a little at that.

Tara shot a look at me. "Wipe that look off your face unless you have something helpful to say."

Sophie glared a both of us but stayed on the phone. "Yes, it's a bomb," she clicked the phone onto speaker phone and held it out for us all to hear. "Now, just stop playing with that dog and help us!"

I looked over at Tara and she glared at me. "Have any bright ideas, Half-Pint?"

"We can hope your huge ego can cover the blast," I shot back only to get hit in the arm by Sophie.

"Stop arguing and help!" she snapped at us.

Hardison sounded panicked, but I had a feeling it wasn't for us. _"That a Radicova Night Train. Um, it's very sophisticate work. Ok, you see… you see the… the three wire on the front panel?"_

I knelt down to get a closer look and Sophie nodded. "Yes."

"_Okay, Anna's with you right? Tell her to cut those wires in this sequence: um, um, primer, reactor, ignition time." _Sophie looked at me to be sure I was getting this, and I nodded. _"But… but first you got to figure out which one is which. So get a nail clipper. Strip the wires. The live one, that's the ignition timer. But don't cut it yet. Strip… Strip the wires, okay? If she cuts it the bomb will blow. Are you still with me?"_

I blinked at Sophie. Uhhh…. We had less than twenty seconds, not ten minutes. Sophie realized this as well, but we weren't going to tell Hardison that. "Three wires, in sequence. Strip, don't cut."

All three of us exchanged looks. "Plan B..."

We all three glanced at each other as the timer hit five seconds. We took off running, pushing the cart toward the window. We dove back as the cart flew through the glass shattering it and the bomb exploding, seventy-five feet in the air.

Sophie and Tara took a seat at one of the tables and poured themselves a drink while I threw my head against my forearms and closed my eyes.

"_I don't know if y'all are gonna make it…" _Hardison continued on the phone as Sophie tossed it on the table.

"That is the first thing we've agreed on all night," Sophie sighed, raising the drink to her smiling lips.

She and Tara clinked glasses and Tara kicked me under the table. "How are you doing Half-Pint?"

I was too tired to fight with her, but the truth was, I think I was done with that. "You're not too bad Tara," I said finally, looking up at her.

She smiled at me a little, then turned to Sophie. "Where'd you find this one? Maybe I'll take on a pupil. Pass on the skills of our trade."

Sophie smiled at me as I went back to resting my head on the table. "It's not always this much fun."

Much to Sophie's displeasure I took Aaron's bike back to the bar where I caught up with Sophie and Parker just as Peggy getting ready to leave. "You know what, Marge?" she said turning to Sophie as I walked in and looked at both of them sleepily. "You should come too!"

"Come where too?" I mumbled zombie walking over and leaning on Sophie.

"Book club!" Peggy said excitedly. "And you are?"

I blinked at her getting too tired to think of the right thing to say. "This is my daughter Kendra," Sophie told Peggy as she wrapped her arms around me.

Peggy gave me one of those _how cute _type of smiles. "Well, Kendra, you're more than welcome to join too. I'm sure you're old enough to read The Contortionist's Daughter."

"Okay," I said trying sound cheery when the mere title of the book did not at all sound like my type of light reading.

"Well, bye," Peggy said cheerily as she headed toward the door and I took a seat on the bar stool next to Sophie.

Parker pushed a Sprite my way and I nodded a thank you. It was an exhausting day and it did leave me a bit on the parched side.

"Marge?" Sophie snapped irritably, even I knew it was a name that Sophie plainly didn't care for. Still Parker looked a little torn.

"I had to come up with something…" she tried but sighed and poured herself another drink. "I know. I know."

Sophie took a deep breath and gave Parker a gentle smile. "Listen, Parker. I wanted to apologize about giving you the cold shoulder about Hardison earlier."

Parker smiled at her back, but it wasn't one of her usual goofy smiles. It was a smile of patience and even thoughtfulness. "Oh, that's okay. I think I figured it out. I mean, I was worried at first, 'cause Hardison and I are different, the stuff we like. But I just spent all night with Mattingly, a guy who likes all the same stuff I do. And you know what?" She looked at Sophie and she may have even blushed a little. "It would have been more fun with Hardison. So I guess the same is boring."

Lifting her glass to her lips Parker glanced at Sophie. "Where is Mattingly, anyway?"

Sophie and I exchanged looks with small grins. "Oh, he took the cab behind us."

"I thought that was Tara's cab," Parker said looking a bit concerned.

"Oh, it was," I told her grinning a little more than I should.

Parker gave us a strange look, but Hardison walked in just in time to stop her from asking anymore questions. I looked up at him sleepily. "So, everything turn out alright with Hurley?"

Hardison blinked as though he had completely forgot. "Oh, yea. We're good. Hey Parker, do you want to go…"

Parker lit up. "Yeah! Let's go."

Sophie and I both smiled as Parker jumped over the counter and put her arm through Hardison's. He stood there for a moment as though still not sure if he should move, but finally he just smiled. Together they walked out the door smiling like children.

"So," Sophie said looking over the top of her wine glass at me. "How many rules did you break tonight?"

Reaching for glass of wine, putting it to my lips and taking a long gulp, I smiled at her. "All of them."

She shook her head. "You know, you really are going to have to start obeying the rules. At least the important ones."

Sobering slightly, I nodded. "I know. I'm sorry. No more clubs. But, uh, do we have to tell Nate?"

Sophie smiled at me. "I'll let this one slip if you promise that you will start telling me where you're going."

Giving her my best smile, I pulled her into a hug and closed my eyes as my head rested on her shoulder. "Promise."

Just then Eliot walked in. "Have you met-"

I turned around and saw him with a very familiar looking girl on his arm. "Sister Lupe?"

Suddenly her tan cheeks lit up. "I'm not really a nun…"

Sophie blinked at us in surprise, obviously left out of the story but Eliot didn't give us time to ask questions. "We're out, I'll see you two later," Eliot said but stopping at the door. "And we're going to talk later about you driving my car and throwing two Irish mob people in the back."

Sophie looked at me in shock again, but Eliot was already out the door and I was already on my feet grabbing for my maroon leather jacket. "See ya later," I told her giving her another quick hug. "Love you."

"And where are you going?" she asked curiously.

Holding up the keys to the motorcycle I grinned. "I have one night with this thing and I'm going to enjoy it!"

Sophie didn't argue and just shook her head as she watched he daughter head out the door. That girl was special. Picking up her wine glass, she headed to the backroom only to see Nate sitting at a table alone. Smiling flirtatiously at him, she took the chair beside him.

"Come here often?" she teased leaning into him.

"Perhaps a little too often," he muttered in reply but opened his arms to her. She could tell there was something on his mind but she was going to wait for him to share it. "Have you ever… I think…" He sighed. "I care about you Soph."

She turned around and looked at him with concern. "I care about you too, Nate." Carefully, she studied his expression, placing a hand on his face. "What's wrong?"

He looked deep into her eyes. He could have told her about how he was starting to really love again. How he was sorry and he wanted to change for Anna. For her. But he didn't. Hurley was a good guy that got himself in bad situations. He tried to better himself. Nate just didn't expect the world to get better anymore.

All that was changing now. He had Anna, he had the team, he even had the girl.

Softly touching Sophie's face, he brought his lips to hers for a gentle, tender kiss. "Nothing."

_**So.. there we go. Please review! I would really like to know what you think. And what do you think Anna and Eliot should do together?**_


	55. Mothers

_**So this chapter took me forever and I cannot figure out why! There's a couple different pieces to it, but the first part was just fun that I've been wanting to add. **_

Sophie sat on Nate's couch, a mug of tea on the coffee table and a book in her lap somewhat forgotten. She was having trouble focusing at the moment, somewhat because she was thinking about her team. Eliot looked out for their physical safety, Nate guided them, but Sophie always made sure they were okay. She was the encourager, the supporter, and the nurturer. It went beyond Anna even if Anna was her main charge.

Parker and Hardison's relationship made her slightly nervous. Parker was fragile but so was Hardison and the entire thing made her worry. No one wanted her little family to be happy more than her but she wanted to be sure they stayed happy, but she worried about someone making the wrong move. Parker suddenly deciding she wasn't ready for the relationship or Hardison getting frustrate at how long it's taking to get anyway. Everything was a baby step for them.

Then there was Eliot and Anna whom were off in her apartment preparing dinner. Eliot had been going easy on Anna in a lot of ways lately and that told her he was still fighting with the weeks before. Not that anyone was over the fact they nearly lost Anna but Eliot was taking it differently. Where he was usually the one who really made sure she was holding her own, he's started stepping in for her. He even went easy on her over the whole stealing his car ordeal. When someone on the team got hurt, be it on a con or not, Eliot felt like he failed at his job. Sophie understood that. That's why she suggested Anna to go spend time with Eliot of the day.

Still, she was just…

"Stop worrying," a voice said from behind her making her jump. She twisted around to see Nate walking down his steps in jeans and a button up shirt. Secretly, she loved seeing him like that. Barefoot, sleepy, and not drunk.

Her lips twitched into a slight pout. "I'm allowed to worry," she told him. They were her kids. It was in her job description to worry. "I just have stuff on my mind."

Nate smiled at her as she made a place for him on the couch. As she leaned into him she captured his lips with hers. She could still taste his minty toothpaste as his hands went to her hips to deepen the kiss. Pulling away, Sophie found it difficult to smile.

"I think we can find a way to get things off your mind," he whispered huskily, his hot breath hitting her neck and creating a fire in her stomach. He gently pushed he back against the couch climbing on top of her, successfully knocking her book on to the floor.

Nate broke away for just a moment to pick it up. He read the title skeptically. "_Fifty Shades of Grey_?"

She gave him a devilish smile before grabbing his shirt and pulling him down to her lips with surprising force. "You want to me keep reading that."

He didn't linger on her words for very long. After all, when the cats are away…

*Anna*

Sophie pretty well forced Eliot and me to spend some "quality" time together, but that was not always that fun. Especially after I stole his car and threw two mob guys in the back. I had to agree to clean his car, inside and out, as well as cook dinner for the crew with him. I did suspect some more yelling to go along with my punishment, but I wasn't complaining too much that he didn't have much to say about it.

I had a rolling pin and pizza cutter out and was in charge of flattening the dough and cutting it into inch squares. "Dumplings?" I asked him as though he was losing his mind.

He was cleaning the chicken, a job I was extremely thankful he didn't put on me. Without even looking up at me, he replied. "It's my mother's recipe."

Suddenly the image of the blue eyed woman passed in my mind and I nearly sliced my hand. "Pay attention!" he snapped as I pulled my hand away.

I cleared my throat, muttering slight apologizes. Still, my curiosity was beginning to get the best of me. "Will you tell me about her?"

As usual, he didn't look up. "Who?"

Taking a deep breath I prepared for the worst. "Your mother?"

He stopped but he didn't turn around to look at me. "No."

Swallowing hard I nodded and went back to cutting the dumplings. I wanted to pretend it didn't hurt. That Eliot flat out telling me that he wasn't going to tell me about his mother didn't make me ache.

So, I told him about her. "After the… incident with my car," I said slowly watching my hands carefully not only so I didn't cut myself with the pizza cutter but also so I didn't have to look Eliot in the eye. "I saw her. Her and Sam. I know, it sounds crazy. It sounds crazy to me."

He didn't say anything, not at first. We stayed silent, nothing but the sound of a pizza cutter rolling against the dough.

"It's not crazy," he said softly, still not turning around. There was a hint of compassion in his voice, but I think he saw it as weakness so he didn't let it get too far. Still, I continued.

"Laura. She told me her name was Laura. I didn't know it was her at first. But I knew it was Sam," I told him, putting down the pizza cutter and sitting on the barstool. I still wasn't sure why we were cooking in Sophie's kitchen either.

"I take it you didn't tell Nate," Eliot added.

I shook my head, not that he could see it. "She just said that maybe one day you'd tell me about her."

There was a long pause, but slowly he turned around and looked at me. "She was a great mom, a great woman. She died when I was in high school."

Swallowing hard, I nodded. I was sure that the story was ending there so I went back to cutting the dough.

"She had a spit-fire attitude and a heart of gold. She would do anything for anyone," Eliot continued softly. He smiled at me, but it was one of those sad smiles that broke your heart. "She used to tell me that I should fight for what I believe in, she was probably the reason I joined the military. She was," he swallowed hard, "killed. Drunk driver."

Tears were building behind his eyes as a lump grew in his throat. There was a reason he didn't talk about his mother. It hurt. He thought of that moment when Nate broke in his arms when they rolled Anna back into the OR. Before that day Eliot hadn't cried since his mother's death.

He looked into the big brown eyes of the teenage girl in front of him. Two weeks ago he was almost positive he'd never see the goofy grin and bouncy curls coming through the door again. And he nearly lost his little sister the same way he lost his mother.

"She would have liked you," he told Anna as she studied him. "You two would have really hit it off if you could get past each other's attitudes."

Anna smiled a little at him, but he could tell she wasn't sure what to say. That was okay, because she didn't have to say anything. He put his hand on her head and ruffled her hair. If Sophie wanted them to bond, they most certainly had.

Taking a deep breath, Anna looked away from him and shrugged a little. "Can I ask you something?" she said carefully, sounding like a little kid.

Eliot raised his head to look up at her again. She was becoming that small person she always did when she was wanting to say something personal, something that she was afraid someone was going to laugh at or seem stupid.

"Sure," he said gently coaxing her out of her shell. Getting Anna to open up was harder than anyone else on the team. She would offer a piece because she wanted to get it off her chest but as quickly as she had opened up and you had to begun to nurse those wounds she snaps shut again and you nearly lose your hand in the process.

Anna continued cutting the dough into the equal squares. "I don't want my name anymore."

Eliot gave her an odd look, but quickly tried to cover it in case it scared her back into her hiding spot. "What do you mean, Ans?"

She set her jaw and closed her eyes. Tears eating at the surface. "I don't want to be Anna Nicole Bonini." She clamped her eyes close. "Nicole. My father's middle name was Nicholas and my mother's maiden name was Bonini."

All he did was watch as the girl stopped cutting. Her hands were braced on the counter, the pizza cutter still in her hand as her hair hung, blocking her face. "Does it really matter what your name is? We know who you are."

Her eyes shot up at him and they looked murderous for just a moment. "You don't have your father's last name. You didn't keep that abusive asshole's last name, why should I keep mine?"

His heart dropped to his stomach. Of course she would know. Anna knew so much more about people than she let on. He never even had to tell her, she could see it in his eyes. She saw the pieces and she was able to put them together as though it was a simple puzzle. It was one of the girl's many gifts. In the civil world she would make one hell of detective or a profiler.

His initial response was to tell her that his situation was different and in a way it was. But hers was not any better.

"Okay," he said slowly, wiping away his anger. "What do you want your name to be? "

She looked up at him. "Anna Devereaux Ford," she said in barely more than a whisper. "That's who I want to be."

*Anna*

I looked at Aaron as we sat in the smoky, shady building. Honestly I could not believe I was doing this. This month alone I had broken so many rules I knew this one would push all of them over the edge, but I wanted to do it. I wanted it.

Aaron was wearing a tight shirt that hugged his biceps and it was times like these that it was hard to remind myself we were just friends. Though sometimes we also crossed the line into "friends with extras" but right then, he was just my supportive friend who knew that my car was totaled and I couldn't drive myself.

This was the part of town that Nate referred to as his father's main business. Just going down to this area put Sophie and Nate on edge, even though they knew I could take care of myself if it came to it. The thing with Boston was if you were Irish you stuck with the Irish and if you're Italian you stuck with the Italians, if you were neither you were free to come and go as you please. But my Italian roots were hard to hide, they could nearly smell it on me. That's the main reason I wasn't suppose to go this into down town Boston.

"Ready?" Aaron asked as I clung onto the image.

I nodded.

There was a little smirk on his lips. "I'm not going to tell you it doesn't hurt, 'cause it does," he told me shrugging.

I raised my eyebrow at him. "I'm pretty sure I can handle it."

Crawling up on the bed, I laid on my side and pulled up my shirt exposing my entire stomach. The artist had the image I wanted and he didn't even ask me if I was ready before the buzzing of the gun began and I felt something drag across my skin.

Tattoos were something that were extremely dangerous for a grifter to have because it was something that was permanent. Something that you had to be careful to never show anyone on a con because it could identify you later. Yet, there I was getting one. Having something permanently stained on my skin and it would never go away.

Twenty minutes felt more like forty as a needle moved across my skin. Each time it went over a bone I could feel my entire skeleton vibrate. When it was finally done, I looked into the mirror and smiled. It was definitely worth it.

Aaron put his arms over my shoulders and smiled at me as we walked down the sidewalk to where his bike was parked. "How long do you think you can hide that from your parents?" he asked. "I mean, I would say you of all people could hide something for a long time, but I feel like your parents are like super spies or something."

I laughed at him. "When you put it like that, they could possibly already know."

Aaron dropped me off at Nate's apartment giving my ribs a soft jab just enough to make me hiss and glare. He laughed and hit the gas before I could retaliate. As much as I liked Aaron, there was a reason we were just friends with a little bit of extras.

Nate was sitting on the couch with Sophie laying against him as Phantom slept against her. I found it a little ironic that he was suppose to be my dog but took a very nice liking to Sophie. They both were reading as I walked in. Eliot looked me in the eye and nodded at me. Parker appeared in front of me, offering me some of her plain cereal. I politely declined and moved toward the living room.

It only took a second of me standing in front of the couch looking at them for Nate to finally clear his throat and put down the book, nudging Sophie to follow suit. She closed her book, folding over the corner of the paper to hold her page and sat up. I had both of their full attention.

"Yes?" Nate inquired.

Suddenly I felt two inches tall as I looked at my feet. "I uh… I…" Biting my lower lip, I crossed my arms and barely raised my eyes to meet theirs. "I got a tattoo."

Neither of them responded and I couldn't tell if this was a good or bad thing. Glancing past them to Eliot nodded at me. Just as I looked back to Sophie her face suddenly changed. "You did what?" she yelled getting up so quickly I found myself stumbling back, nearly falling over the coffee table as Phantom and Nate watched from the couch.

My body froze shock and suddenly I was at a loss for words. "I-I-"

"Do you have _any_ idea what you've done?" Sophie hissed coming toward me her hand going into her hair.

My eyes were burning with tears. So angry that I was actually afraid of her. I fell onto the table, fearfully looking up at her. Her brown eyes were fuming in a way I had never seen before. At least not toward me.

"Do you have any idea what you've done, Anna?" she snapped again staring at me like I had lost my mind.

"Sophie," Nate tried, touching her arm but she pushed him off.

"Tattoos are dangerous! They are identifiers! Someone sees that and your career could be done. You could be killed, do you understand?" Sophie shouted at me, effectively breaking the flood gates and I started crying.

I tried to control them, but Sophie yelling at me made it feel impossible to stop.

Eliot stood by my side. "I told her she could do it. I told her it was okay."

There was murder in her eyes as she turned to him, taking a dangerous step toward him. "You did what?" she hissed so low and snake like I could see Eliot flitch. "Do you realize that you just allowed _my_ daughter to put a permanent mark on her skin? You of all people know how dangerous that is!"

Eliot swallowed hard. He knew he was in trouble. There was no doubting that. It was just a matter of how much trouble. "I told her where to get it. It's in a place that's unlikely to be seen."

"We're grifters!" Sophie said incredulously. "Our body is the number one thing that is seen!"

All they heard was the door slam. No one had even seen Anna escape. Sophie put her hands to her head in realization of what she had done and collapsed against the couch. Eliot stood there and glared at her. "You didn't even ask to see it, Soph. Or ask her why she got it."

She didn't look at him. She just kept her eyes closed and her hands pressed against her face. Parker stared at them and Hardison nudged her to come on but she shook her head. She wanted to see.

"You signed my daughter's death certificate," Sophie hissed looking up at him. "You know that if the wrong person finds out-"

Eliot looked at her, his heart completely in his eyes. "You know I wouldn't put her at risk. No one will find out about it. Besides, I wouldn't let anything happen to her."

Just like that Sophie seemed ready for a fight again. "You say that like you can protect her all the time, when it was proved that you couldn't do that when she was hit in that car!" She was shouting and she didn't care. Tears were pricking at her eyes and her heart was pounding furiously. He needed to know what she felt. "We can't always be there with the safety net when she falls and we can't always pull her away in the lick of type!"

Nate put his hands on her arm and pulled her back, but she shoved him away again this time harder. "Where do you get off having right to give _my _daughter permission to get a tattoo?"

Fury burned in him as he glared at her. "You're not the only one who cares about her, Sophie. Don't act like you are."

"Why did you let her do it?" she snapped glaring at him.

"Because she wanted something permanent! She wanted something that couldn't be washed away or thrown away. How many times has she not been permanent to someone?"

She blinked at him, not sure if the question was rhetorical or not. "She's permanent to me." It was the softest thing that had come out of her mouth that day. The first of her tears streaked her face.

Eliot shrugged. "You're permanent to her."

Sophie shook her head and pushed past Nate. She had to leave. She couldn't be around them right then. Her heart was pounding as she walked down the stairs to hear the piano playing softly. She stopped in her tracks. The soft tune didn't cover the sounds of familiar sniffling as she continued down the steps.

When she made it to the bottom, Anna's playing stopped. Her hair hung over her face as she sniffled and stared down at the keys.

Phantom was sitting down beside her as Sophie moved closer to her. She sat down beside her daughter, ashamed. Not ashamed of Anna but of the way she acted. She understood now. Reaching out, Sophie cover Anna's hand with her own.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Anna didn't move. She just continued sitting there sniffing every now and then. "Really. I'm sorry."

Slowly Anna got up and moved around the bench. Sophie was just about to stop her when Anna spoke. "You didn't even ask what it is." Her voice was so quiet it was barely heard.

Looking at her, Sophie swallowed hard. "I want to see it."

Anna lifted her head to see Sophie's tear streaked face. With both hands she raised the side of her shirt. The ink took Sophie's breath away. In black was an infinity symbol with the work family written into it in cursive, but there was a circle around that in white ink. The letters were small, but Sophie could read them. It was each of their names. Sophie-Nathan-Eliot-Alec-Parker-Anna. It circled the infinity symbol never ending as well.

"If something ever happens, I want to remember the good," Anna told Sophie as she took her hand.

Sophie stood up and pulled the girl into a hug. "Oh, Anna."

Eliot stood at the top of the steps watching. He looked up to the heavens and smiled. Mothers.

_**And there you all go. Please let me know what you think! **_


	56. Harder than He Thought

_**So I wanted to get a chapter in tonight and I have so many plans for this episode I knew I couldn't fit them all into one chapter. ANYWHO! **_

Sophie and Eliot eventually made up. And trust me when I say that it was incredibly awkward. Have you ever seen Eliot apologize? It comes out kinda angry and forceful while Sophie is barely an apology at all. Unless their apologizing to me, I don't think they are physically able to do it naturally. But when they tell _me _they're sorry, it's a little like apologizing to your dog after tripping on them.

They knew they couldn't stay mad at each other forever, but Sophie wasn't letting me off the hook that easily. She was especially angry with Aaron for taking me, but she was being a typical mom and biting her tongue about that. She was worried that if she told me I couldn't hang out with him anymore I would completely rebel. I wouldn't be happy, but I was really tired of sitting on the couch on Saturday nights because I was grounded.

Yes, the tattoo did get me grounded for a month. Eliot had to agree to leave the "big decisions" of my life to Nate and Sophie, while I had to agree to put the really life effecting decisions on the table so Sophie and Nate could put in there two cents next time.

Other than all that though, everything was pretty much back to normal. That meant we had to get back to taking down bad guys.

Sophie and Nate were in the bar with a new potential client and Eliot had just left. Parker and Hardison were out and that meant it was just me and Phantom stuck in the apartment. And I was hungry.

Glancing at Phantom, he raised his head and perked his ears. Yup. He was hungry too. "Take out it is!" I told him, reaching for his leash and hooking it through his collar on the way out the door. I headed toward the bar, Nate didn't like me taking the ally exit when it was night.

As Phantom and I walked through the door, and I glanced at the booth where Sophie sat next to a large well dressed man while Nate sat across from them. He caught my eye and Sophie noticed. She turned around and raised her eyebrow at me.

"Grounded means no going out," Sophie reminded me as though I didn't already know.

Sticking my lower lip out and turning my eyes into puppy dog eyes, I pouted at her. "I just want take out. Please?"

Walking over closer to them I took a seat next to Nate and smiled at the man who sat across from me. I had to say, he didn't look like our usual client, in fact he looked like a mark. My Nate's body language I could tell that I wasn't far from the truth, but Sophie was treating him like he was a puppy. Like he needed to be handled gently. I could tell the man had been crying but I kept my eyes on Sophie and Nate.

Sophie sighed and put her motioned to me. "Meet the reason for me being on my second glass of wine."

I beamed at her and offered the man my hand. "I'm Anna. Honorary pain in the-"

Sophie raised her eye brow at me and Nate cleared his throat. "I was going to say neck, geeze," I complained leaning back into my seat.

The older gentleman laughed a little at us. "Oh, I can tell you're a pain. Have to keep everyone on their toes."

I grinned at him. At least he was friendly. Then I looked back to Sophie. "Can I please go get some food?" I asked her, widening my big brown eyes before turning to Nate and giving him the same look.

They exchanged glances, silently having a conversation. "It's getting too late. I'll make you something when I get up there," Nate said looking up at Sophie to be sure she agreed. She gave a brief nodded and reached out to pet Phantom.

"Go on, Ans. We'll be up soon," she promised. Unhooking Phantom's leash and nodding, I nodded resisting a pout.

It felt like Phantom wasn't the only thing that was kept on a leash, and I would be lying if I said I didn't sometimes deserve it. Still, being contained was not easy for me. As I headed up the steps I took note of a slight ache in my throat, but I chucked it off as running in the cool Boston air earlier that day.

Twenty minutes of sitting alone with Phantom in Nate's apartment, Sophie appeared with a glass of wine and Nate was carrying his scotch. "Can I have pancakes for din-" I was cut off my a sudden sneeze followed by a slight coughing fit.

Nate and Sophie both exchanged looks. "For dinner? Sorry," I muttered as I curled up on the couch.

"How about soup?" Nate offered instead noticing my sudden illness. Sophie immediately laid her hand on my forehead and studied my face. Great, now I know I'm getting sick.

The next day I was curled up on Nate's couch flipping through TV channels as Sophie continued complaining. "I'm just saying he _loves _her," Sophie insisted as she and Nate walked out of the kitchen.

Nate rolled his eyes. "Please. People like him treat people like they're possessions." Covering my mouth as I coughed, I had no choice to listen to their argument. Worst part of all, it had been going on for most of the night and started back up again when Nate made a snide comment about it this morning. Sometimes I just wanted them to shut up and agree to disagree.

"Just because he's rich doesn't mean he's heartless," Sophie insisted. She obviously had examples on hand but she didn't get to use them.

"Of all people, you're actually-" Nate knew better than to continue and get into the story of William. I spun around and gave him a horrified look hoping he wasn't going bring up Sophie's past in an argument like that. It was grounds for something much worse than a slap across the face. Nate caught my eye, also hoping Sophie hadn't caught on to what he was about to say.

"He was wrecked!" she shot at him. Both Nate and I exhaled. Thank God. We were still on the con. "You, Nathan Ford, do not have a romantic bone in your body!"

Eliot appeared through the door way just in time to hear the finishing line. But of course he couldn't keep his option completely to himself either. He chuckled softly and fell in beside Sophie.

I huffed wishing he didn't do that. It just meant this little spat was going to lat even longer. "Oh and you're one to laugh. You don't even bother to learn their names. They're just waitress, nurse, stewardess-"

Eliot grumbled at her. "First of all, it's flight attendant, all right?" Sophie rolled her eyes at him. "They don't like being called stewardesses. And, second, I know their names," he hissed coming around and taking the remote from me.

Parker walked in to catch the end of the conversation. "Are you guys having a three-way?"

Everyone blinked at her as she went to the cabinet where she kept her cereal and poured herself a bowl. "What?"

"A three-way fight?" she clarified coming over and jumping inbetween Eliot and I.

I shook my head at her. "Okay, that's not what a three-way is, Parker," I sighed doing a backward summersault not realizing how dizzy it would make me. I stumbled back into Eliot. He steadied me and checked me over. "You're sick," he said as though I didn't already know. Still, I ignored him and moved toward the kitchen to get some tea in hope it would break my fever.

"Three-way is the thing that you did with Tanner and Aaron, right?" Parker ask making Nate choke on his coffee and Eliot and Sophie both turn around and stare.

"That was a three-way _Skype_!" I shot back giving everyone an _are-you-serious _glare. Sometimes it felt like they had absolutely no faith in me what so ever.

Hardison covered his nose and mouth as I headed back toward the couch. As I passed him he took out a can of Lysol and sprayed me with it. Coughing as the chemicals were inhaled into my lungs, I glared at him. "What the hell dude?"

"Get your skanky butt away. I ain't getting sick!" he retorted earning an even fiercer glare.

"I'm not sick!" I snapped, punctuating my sentence with a sneeze and then another coughing fit. The entire team gave me a look. "I probably just have sinus problems or something! I can't be sick."

"She's sick," Parker told the team with a positive brief nod.

"You're sick," Hardison added.

Eliot shrugged. "Probably a cold, but still contagious."

Nate and Sophie both looked at me, knowing that I already knew their vote was all "sick". I groaned and reached for the box of tissues that Sophie had brought me from home. "Someone just freaking run it."

Hardison reached for the remote. "Let's start with the not so lovely wife Lacey. Lacey Beaumont. She met her future husband at a charity function in the Hamptons. But get this. She bought the old boy at one of those bachelor auctions. They got married less than a month later."

Sophie threw her hands up, pleased. "See? Love at first sight."

Even I rolled my eyes at that. "More like marrying for money." Sophie threw a pillow at me to shut up.

Eliot nodded. "She just wanted to get hitched before the background check came through."

Nate nodded. "Thank you. So we've got over two million-plus dollars in cash withdrawls all transferred to the same account. Find me that bank."

"Bank's in the Hampton, but…" he opened the account on the screen. It had been emptied and closed only a few days ago.

Nate turned to Sophie and waited. "Alright, alright, alright," she sighed, defeated. "She's a grifter. But! That doesn't mean that Wellesley's feeling aren't genuine."

And somehow I felt like we had fallen back onto William.

"Alright, come on guys," Nate sighed.

I sat up and looked at all the information. "It's a sweetheart scam. But she moves fast and smooth, is there any other cases that match this MO? She's obviously not new to the game."

Hardison nodded and pulled up a list. A lot of them were dead. "Hmm. She's a black widow. And not the Sophie kind."

The whole team gave me an odd look but I noticed Sophie trying to hold back a smile.

"Well, that's Lacey's pattern. She's a black widow alright and she's out there spinning her web," Sophie told us.

"Well, there's another one of these auction things tomorrow in the Hamptons, even in the strike zone," Hardison explained pulling up the map and watching the function land near the center of the other circles.

Nate was done. "Okay guys, pack your bags. We're going to a party!"

Sophie drums her hands against the table as she heads for the door possibly forgetting about Phantom and I. We hurried off behind her.

The next afternoon I was wearing a silver gown watching Hardison and Eliot being auctioned off. My makeup was much thicker than usual to hide the dark circles under my eyes and I struggled to keep up an image of self assurance. Each member of the team was keeping distance from each other so no one would suspect us, but I found myself leaning against Nate's vending stand of alcohol. He checked me over.

"You doing okay, sport?" he asked me as I coughed into my hand.

He was not going to win. I was going to get through this con and be a part of it. "Yup, doin' good," I told him trying to ignore the fact I was sweating a ridiculous amount now. Nate gives me another look as I excuse myself to the bathroom and take out my com so I can put cool water on my face.

By the time I came back there was a blond with a camera seemingly flirting with Nate and by the look on Sophie's face, she was anything but please. I quickly put my com back in my ear. "Sorry, what did I miss?"

"_I'm getting a steak dinner! Fifteen thousand bro!" _Hardison immediately cheered. Apparently the friendly bet Eliot offered him before they were auctioned off was not going to end as nicely now that Eliot lost and Hardison was bragging.

"_Sophie's on point-Anna, you look terrible," _Nate muttered making me roll my eyes.

"_Nate, no names no address. The phones are burners. Every single one of these girls are grifters,"_ Sophie told him.

I tried to think but my head was foggy from fever. "Okay, so we walked into a ring of grifters and ever ring-"

"_Needs a ring leader. Good job, Ans. To grift on this scale the leader's gonna be here to supervise, I know I would," _Sophie went on. _"We need to find out who the leader is."_

I moved through the party, trying to stop a waiter with water. It was beginning to get unbearably hot even though I was shivering. One glass of water thrown onto one of the princesses would make them all go running to their master. Plus, I could really use something to drink.

"I have a plan," I told them reaching for the water.

"_No, Anna. Stay back for a while. You really should've stayed in the beach house. You look terrible,"_ Nate told me as I held the water. For once I didn't complain. He was probably right. At the moment I _wished _I was in the beach house with Phantom. _"Parker, pick a fight with Hardison's date."_

I could see her nod to herself as she walked up to the dark hair girl. As I took a sip of my water, I watched her tap the girl on the shoulder and follow through with a hard punch in the face. Groaning I put a hand to my forehead and watched as the girl tried to swing back, failing to successfully hit the quick thief at first.

"This is why you should have just let me throw a glass of water on her," I muttered.

"_Are you kidding me?" _Eliot growled watching the scene unfold as Parker held the girl back by a hand on her head.

Sophie sighed. _"Parker! He didn't mean a literal fight!"_ she grumbled as both girls lost there shoes and were now rolling around on the floor. _"He meant start an argument."_

Parker was getting back on her feet when dark haired girl managed to get a punch in, hitting Parker square in the left cheekbone. She only laughed as she took the girls legs from underneath her and pushed her onto the stage, reeling back for another hit.

Hardison swooped in and grabbed her pulling her away.

Parker looked confused. _"What?"_

"_He said distract her not beat her ass!"_ Hardison hissed back.

Two security guards went up to her and escorted her out of the building. The entire way Parker had a crazy grin planted on her face as though she was proud of what she had done and there was nothing wrong about it. Sometimes she worried me.

Pushing off the wall that I was leaning on, I noticed Sophie and Nate had migrated to the corner of the room. _"Where's your new lady friend?" _Sophie whispered to him, confirming my suspicion on her jealousy as the group of women gathered in the room checking up on the crying girl whose face was already beginning to bruise.

"_Well we flushed out the leader," _Nate confirmed watching as the blond woman he had been talking to earlier comforted the girl as well as gave direction to the others.

"_Meredith's the ringleader. I should have seen it," _Sophie muttered as she and Nate walked back toward the door and I tried to stay a couple yards behind them. _"The camera's the perfect cover for watching her girls in action."_

"_And she's gonna have files. We find those we take down the ring,"_ Nate told Sophie and they separated again. _"I'm thinking _Hohe Minne _variant."_

I could see Sophie nod with approval. _"I like your thinking."_

Nate disappeared to catch up with Meredith, the blond, while Sophie dropped back. She looked at me and shook her head. "Sweetheart, you look terrible."

There was no point in arguing, but I was cranky. "Thanks."

She brushed away the hair that was sticking to my forehead with sweat. She frowned at me then went on with the con. My head was spinning in a way that made me want to lay down and die as I attempted to find my way back to Eliot or Hardison. As I kept moving I reached out for something to steady myself with, haphazardly grabbing the wrist of a stranger.

"_Anna?"_ someone whispered over the coms but I couldn't quite tell who. Everything sounded like I had earmuffs on as I struggled toward the last place I saw Eliot.

"_Anna, are you alright?" _another voice asked as the man's wrist I grabbed my arm and tried to steady me.

He was older. Maybe Nate's age but he was wearing a hideous suit jacket, I was with it enough to notice that. No, it was just that ugly. "Are you alright, Ma'am?" There were no words that would allow me to respond. My mouth felt dry and I struggled to keep on my feet. Darkness was edging into my vision and it was getting harder and harder to focus.

"Allanna?" a familiar British accent called to me as my knees gave out and the man guided me to the floor. I was so hot, my entire body was tingling. Who was Allanna? Oh right, I was. That was my alias. People were muttering and someone was fanning me but I couldn't see anything. My mind was swimming every direction, most of which were say _don't throw up!_ as my stomach did a summersault.

"Is she alright?" the voices were becoming recognizable. It was the French girl that had bought Eliot. Maybe the accents were what were becoming better distinguished.

"Allanna, it's mum," Sophie said softly. I could feel hands touch my face. "She wasn't feeling well earlier. If I would have known she was this sick…"

"Fever can make you dehydrate," a familiar country accent added as cold water hit my lips. My reflexes jerked me away from it but someone grabbed my head. "Allanna, you need to drink this," the same voice told me again.

My heart was pounding, but I was trying to stay calm. "Mum?"

Sophie and Nate exchanged looks. Obviously Anna was doing her best not to blow their cover by they were beginning to wonder if there was a way around it. Meridith had given Nate the task of wooing her, but Anna was priority number one.

Her eyes were open but cloudy as her head bobbed back and forth. Eliot reached out and lifted Anna into a chair, putting water to her lips again. This time she didn't pull away. Slowly she drank the water.

"Can…I… go… home…?" she muttered as she shivered. Suddenly she looked up at Sophie and her eyes looked tearful. "I'm sorry."

The entire team was impressed actually. The girl had nearly fainted and she was adjusting to a new alias and even keeping up with a British accent when she was obviously not alright.

Sophie gave her daughter a heartfelt look. "It's alright, darling. Let's see if one of these lovely gentleman will help us get you to the car. Then we should probably take you to the doctor."

She expected Nate or Eliot to volunteer but Oscar San Guillermo, the man who had just asked her to drinks, jumped at the chance. "I've got her," he told her as he scooped Anna out of the chair. Anna gave Sophie a bewildered look as she put her arms around his neck so she wasn't completely dead weight.

Sophie couldn't help but smile a bit as Nate opened his mouth to protest. _"Not only did he beat you to asking me out, he also beat you rescuing your own kid. You really need to work on your game," _Sophie mumbled to Nate through the com as she led the way to the rental she arrived him. Truthfully she was pretty bitter at him. He deserved this. Sophie Devereaux was a catch and way too often he took advantage of what he had, not realizing just how lucky he was to have her.

The valet opened the passenger seat for Oscar and he gently laid Anna in the seat as she muttered an apology as well as a thank you, still remembering to add a British accent. As he closed the door, he turned his full attention to Sophie. His eyes were flirtatious and though she absolutely hated the tacky jacket he was wearing, she couldn't help but fall slightly into her own flirtations.

"I'm so sorry, this has never happened before," Sophie told the charming man. Her accent was always slightly different when she played Lady Prentice. It was more refined, a symbol of her higher class. Still she personally hated the character.

He gave her a gentle smile a placed a hand on her arm. Sophie noted this. He was trying to gain physical contact, draw a closer attraction. It was working, only because she allowed it to. "It's perfectly alright. Take care of your daughter, then-" he took a card out of his pocket and handed it to her, "call me if you would like."

Sophie batted her eyelashes slightly. "I'm a little worried about the time, I'm sure you're a busy man."

He let his hand brush hers as it released her arm. Another technique she noted. "I consider myself an intelligent man, Lady Prentice, and any intelligent man who be sure to make time for you."

Nate heard the line over the com and he mentally cursed. This may end up being harder than he thought.

_**Now… What do you think is in store for Nate and Sophie? Plus, I'm really hoping to elaborate more on the whole steak thing. I mean, Anna will be bored since she's sick and we all know how she loves to give her brothers hell. Please review!**_


	57. Plans And Lysol

_**This has a lot of fun moments in it, so I hope you all enjoy it. **_

When Nate arrived I had already convinced Sophie that I would live and she didn't have to sit with me. It was crucial to the con (as well as my plan) for her to go out with Oscar tonight. It wasn't easy convincing her, but with the help of a slightly confused Eliot promising to look after me, she agreed. Nate was even more upset to hear that she had still gone out with him and I had a feeling it wasn't because I was obviously really sick.

Eliot was making me soup as Nate dropped four more ibuprofen on the table beside the couch. My fever was still making me a little out of it. Parker kept offering me a fresh cold rag, watching me carefully. Every time I coughed she would look at Nate or Eliot as though to ask if they heard it too.

Sweat beaded on my forehead as my teeth chattered and I pulled the blank closer around me. Nate sat down beside me and shoved the thermometer haphazardly in my ear. When it beeped he did not look pleased with the result. "I think we should take you to the doctor," he told me. Taking a seat at the foot of the couch he groaned. "This is Sophie's job, but no. She's out having drinks with Oscar."

The name dripped with disgust. Frowning at him, I crossed my arms and tried to sit up. "You deserve this, ya know it?" I told him frustrated. He groaned confirming that he did know this. "How are you going to fix it?"

That caught his attention. He blinked at me with surprise.

Parker looked over at him too, while Hardison and Eliot leaned over the couch toward him. "Yeah, how ya gonna fix it?" Hardison pressed.

We all wanted Nate and Sophie to be together. But if Nate didn't straighten up and fly right, he could lose her. That wasn't going to happen if I had anything to say about it, but first I had to give Nate a hard kick while he was down.

"You seriously need to get your act together, Pops. There's a reason she's a good grifter. She's classy and smart and she could have any man on this planet but she chose you," I reminded him, coughing into my hand.

Hardison took over. "Every single one of us has asked ourselves why-" Nate gave him a hard look but he didn't care, "but she's being reminded she has options. What are _you_ going to do to make sure she ignores the guys tripping over themselves to be near her and choose your drunk, sadistic ass."

I coughed again as Eliot laid his hand on Nate's shoulder. "Look, we all want ya to be happy, but we love Soph too. You don't want us to choose sides if something happens, you're not the easiest person to get along with. So don't screw this up."

Nate huffed in frustration then looked at Parker. "Anything you would like to add?"

She blinked. "Don't be an idiot!" she hit him hard in the arm and gave me a look as though to ask if it was the right thing to do. I beamed at her before coughing again.

Nate glared at all of us. "You all really have no faith in me! I can be romantic, really!"

All of us exchanged looks. "Prove it."

An hour later, Eliot had grumpily agreed to take Anna to the hospital and the other two followed behind like children. It was funny to Nate, they really acted like siblings. They were like ducklings. For a brief moment Nate worried that Anna being sick it would pass on to the others. Then he thought again. Eliot most likely had an immune system of a boulder and Hardison kept disinfecting everything she touched. Parker. She would be the one to get sick and she would be the one curled up on his couch next week.

He sighed, the thought of dealing with another sick duckling exhausted him. But that hadn't happened yet. He had to think about the matter currently at hand. Sophie.

They were right. Anna, Parker, Hardison and Eliot. They were all right.

Sophie was a masterpiece, and as much as she knew she was, she could not possibly know how truly spectacular she was in his mind. It was there the first time he had laid eyes on her so many years ago and it was still there today. She had a certain magic about her that he loved. Yes, her beauty and intelligence was what captivate him, making him a moth to her flame, but there was more.

Before Maggie, back when he was younger, he would have held her on a pedestal, but time had made him lazy with his game. She showed him affection when he deserved none. She bandaged his broken heart and taught it to love again. No, love new. The feelings he had for Sophie wasn't some story book romance. It wasn't Cinderella and the prince. It was something their very own.

It was the black knight and the queen of hearts.

Tomorrow afternoon he would woo Lady Charlotte, but tomorrow evening he would win the heart of Sophie Devereaux. The woman who was so much more of a woman than anyone he had ever laid eyes on.

But he needed a plan.

When they returned from the hospital, Anna went straight to bed after being diagnosed when strep throat, a sinus infection, and croup (which surprised Nate, considering it's not very common in teenagers). She was still feverish and her mood had diminished. There was no pretending she wasn't sick anymore. Phantom didn't leave her side while the other members of the team continued the work, with Sophie's com muted, Nate tiring of hearing a mocking _I told you so_ in her laugh.

Nate couldn't stand how giggly she was being. It was real giggles; it was her real laugh.

Parker kept looking toward the room Anna was sleeping in. "Anna's going to be alright, right Nate?" she asked him, her eyes wide.

He was sure she had asked the physicians the same thing, but she needed him to confirm what they said. Parker was technically an adult, but she was still a child in so many ways. It worried him to know that Anna was going to be the same way. The few people in their lives were the only ones they may ever trust.

"She's going to be alright. Just needs to rest," Nate reassured the blond thief, surprising himself when he gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder.

Parker nodded and skipped off to help Hardison with something.

Sophie slipped her shoes off at the door and carried them in as she turned the door knob and locked the door behind her. It was just before midnight and her date with Oscar actually went painfully well. Something she would be sure to hint at with Nate. At first she was going to check on Anna, but then she noticed a light on in Nate's room. She smiled to herself. Of course he'd still be up.

With her shoes in one hand, she tiptoes into his bedroom to find him laying on the bed, over the covers seemingly sleeping. He must have only been dozing because he awoke to her presence.

"I'm awake," he muttered sleepily as she shuffled up. Taking a seat on the foot of his bed she watched him. Something about sleepy Nate made her heart flutter a little more than she would like to admit. He rubbed his eyes. "That was… kinda of a long time there."

A small smile twitched at her lips but she kept it hidden. Sleepy Nate was sexy, jealous Nate was exciting, sleepy jealous Nate was so much better than she could explain. If she wanted to make him pay, she would keep her face nonchalant and tease his little heart out.

"Well, Oscar San Guillermo asked me out," she told him, dropping her shoes on the ground, not caring about the sound they made anymore. She let the smile spread across her lips as she turned and crawled toward him on the bed. "I had to make it look real."

Stopping were her hands were next to her knees, she perched herself up. "If I didn't call him back, Meredith might have suspected that I was in your crew, or she could have had someone watching me from the moment she picked me out as your mark." It was mostly a lie. She could have covered pretty easily with a sick kid, still she wanted to torture him. "Anyway," she batted her eyelashes at him, "Oscar gives you some healthy competition..."

He couldn't help but curse. It was time to admit that the ball was in her court because she was the one that seemed to have an upper hand in this thing they were in. This _not_ relationship.

"Oscar?" Nate repeated. She was calling him Oscar now. Great.

"…helps sell the con," she continued ignoring him.

Nate grunted and sat up straighter on the bed. Now she was really enjoying herself as she tilted her head to the side searching for his eyes. "What? Are you jealous? Hmm?" She gave he a playful pout and talked to him like a hurt child. "Just a little bit?"

He started stammering and Sophie could only raise her eyebrow at him as her seemed completely lost for words at first. Finally he looked at her and became very defensive. "I was busy. What's with all the laughing and stuff that was going on?" he asked with surprising edge, but it sounded like it was trying to cover a little bit of hurt and it tugged at Sophie's heartstrings.

"What? Busy listening in on comms, I hope," she kept teasing him.

"No! But… you were…" He fluttered a hand in the air and attempted to mock her light giggle.

She leaned a little closer, but not much. "Getting a few tips and ideas from Oscar?"

Oscar. She said it like Os-scah and something about it made him crazy. It didn't matter if it was just her accent or if she was actually playfully saying his name, it should not sound like that. The blue of his eyes looked deep into her brown ones. She'd never leave him for Os-scah but she may leave him for someone else who treated her right.

"What ideas?" Nate asked, trying to get back on subject.

"Well, ideas about romance and setting the mood and seduction and compliments," she said dreamily while she was mentally adding _the things you never do for me._ "Dating stuff."

"First of all! I know how to do all that stuff!" he defended himself. Why was this so hard? They had been side by side for years and now it was suddenly getting hard? "I know what all that's about. And I know how to date, I've dated before Soph. I.. it's how we…" How did he put what they were.

"No!" Sophie said easily stopping him before he could hurt her or she could hurt him by trying to put a title to what they were. A title that most likely would not fit. "I mean, we haven't defined what we are, but we're definitely not dating."

Taking a deep breath, Sophie felt the need to guide him. "Listen, if you want to get close to Meredith, for this con, then you don't have to actually, you know, seduce me. You just have to convince her that you're _capable _of seducing me, make it believeable."

The words were coming off with more of a bite than she meant but she could tell by his face that he was getting the point. Taking a deep breath he put his index finger to his mouth like he sometimes did when he was thinking. "Okay, here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna set up a-a- a meet cute, alright? And… and I'm gonna start by saying hey…"

Sophie shook her head. "No, Nate, Nate, Nate. No, no, no. You can't script this. No."

He dropped his hands in frustration. "What? Why not?"

"Well… If I know what your approach is, then my reactions," her eyes flashed back to his as a playful smile spread across her lips and she leaned forward, placing her hands on both sides of his legs and crawling toward his face. "They won't be genuine. No, no, no, no, no."

Her hands were on either side of his hips, her lips inches away from his. This was where she knew she held the power, and she wanted to remind him. "It has to be a real date," she told him as his hands pushed her hair away from her face and rested on her shoulders as they both tilted their heads in anticipation. "And you, my friend…" Her voice had turned into a purr and it was suddenly killing Nate.

Their lips connected, but only for a second. Their heads tiled again as their noses bushed ready for their lips to connect again. "… have to be very…" Heat was rising as she kissed him, biting his lip lightly and smiling through it. "…very…"

Their hands played against each other's bodies as they stole each other's breath. "…charming." Nate's hands went behind her head to find the zipped of her dress, but she sat up quickly. Grinning at him. "Mnh-mnh-mnh," she tsked pulling away and giving him that _I win _type of look.

"No," she told him, reaching into her hair for her clip to let it free and fall on her shoulders. Fluffing it, she pouted at him. "I'm sorry. I have to get my beauty sleep. I have a very hot date with Os-scah tomorrow." Turning around, she tossed him a look over her shoulder. "Tick tock."

All he could do was watch as she left. It was going to be a long restless night. With a sigh, he stood up. First things first… shower.

A knowing smile cracked at her lips when she heard the sound of water rushing. The symbol of her victory in a small way. As she opened the door to Anna's room, she noticed the girl was not sleeping at all. Instead she was just wheezing and coughing, silent tears rolling down her face in misery.

Immediately she went to her bedside and ran a hand over Anna's forehead. She was burning up again. Guilt flooded her. She really should have stayed with Anna. They could have ran the con another way. Meredith could have chosen another woman for Nate to woo.

"Stop looking at me like that," Anna grumbled as her clammy hands wiped away sweat on her brow. There was a forced smile between coughs. "It's all part of my plan."

Sophie's soft chuckle was barely heard over Anna's wheezing. The poor kid was sick as a dog and all she could think about was a happily ever after. That's all Anna ever wanted. Really, she was content. She was already given more than she expected, she was just filling in the small cracks. Sophie and Nate were cracked.

Anna's wheezing concerned Sophie and she noticed the humidifier Eliot had bought her, it was a frog humidifier of all things, was turned off. Immediately Sophie reached to turn it back on, but Anna interrupted her. "Don't!" she said quickly. Sophie gave her an odd look. "It smells funny."

It was times like these that Sophie wondered what six year old Anna was like. She had childlike traits but they were masked in pain. What was she before the mask? Giving her daughter a patient smile, she turned it on anyway. "It may smell funny but at least you'll be able to breathe."

Anna pouted but nodded as Sophie leaned in and kissed her cheek. "I'll be in the next room if you need me," she told her. "Try and get some sleep."

The next morning I found passed Sophie on her way out to the deck where Nate was already sitting. Her hands slid down his arm as she leaned against him in the chair. Eliot noticed I was watching.

"We like kicking him when he's down. I just gave him every detail of Sophie's date last night," he told me, his lips twitching into an evil grin. A large part of me was proud. Hehehe. We did have a tendency of being a little sadistic to the poor guy.

Hardison was sitting at the computer at the counter with us. "So," he said almost carefully. "Have you looked into the steak places yet?"

Eliot didn't even glance at him. "The bets off," he muttered.

Suddenly the environment turned dangerous in the room as a very unthreatening Hardison tried to turn threatening. "What do you mean the bets off?"

The challenge was accepted by Eliot and I rolled my eyes. "The bet was off when we found out they all were grifters! It's in the rule book!"

I rolled my eyes and held up my hands. "How about!" I said extra loud, only to start my coughing again. Either way I had their attention. "How about Eliot makes us steaks for dinner. It doesn't have to be because he lost a bet, but Hardison gets his steak, Eliot keeps his pride and we're all happy!"

They both exchanged looks before shrugging in agreement. It wouldn't take Eliot long to realize I just conned my way into getting a steak as well, but he wasn't going to complain because Hardison didn't win.

Hardison went on to the con. "Okay. Work starts in an hour at La Chatillon. Eliot, you're the sous chef. I am the sommelier," suddenly he was using something between a French and an African accent, "visiting from the South African winery."

I raised my eyebrow at him. "Sommelier?"

Hardison nodded dropping the accent. "Sommelier."

Eliot rolled his eyes and looked at me. "This is why I needed you to be healthy. You're at least teachable. I have to pretty well read to him."

Eliot stood up and stomped off leaving Hardison with his hands up. "Why you gotta be like that, man?" He looked at me. "No faith. No faith in me at all."

I chuckled, suppressing the urge to remind him he did not know his wine at all and give him examples of times that proved it. "It's okay. I'll give you the short version," I reassured him.

An hour later, both Sophie and Nate were dressed, Parker had gone to scope out Meredith's supposed office, and the boys were already on their way to the restaurant. As Sophie passed, she put her hands on my face to check my temperature, and looked relieved to notice that my fever had broken and I was starting to regain some healthy color. Steroids and antibiotics. A very sick girl's best friend.

"Feeling any better, Ans?" Nate asked also taking note of my regained disposition.

I nodded at him. "Yup. Promise I'm not going to faint today." I meant it as a joke, but they didn't find it all that funny.

"Let's hope that doesn't happen again," Sophie said softly, kissing the top of my head. "If you need me, call. I can play it off."

I nodded. "Yes ma'am."

Nate tousled my hair and gave me a soft smile. "And don't burn the place down, Ans. It's a rental."

Playfully, I stuck my tongue out at him before giving him a quick peck on the cheek and telling them both goodbye. I stood in the exact place they left me until I heard both cars leave the driveway and I counted backward from five.

Then I was off. I jumped in the shower and turned it almost completely to hot. The steam relieved the tightness in my chest and made it easier to breath. The steroids were doing their job, I checked everyone's location on my cell phone as I finished zipping up my jeans and letting my curls fall wildly over my shoulders. Nate and Sophie were already together.

The cab outside honked announcing its arrival. Grabbing my sunglasses, I headed off.

Nate was actually doing quite an amazing job, Sophie had to give him credit. He was charming, witty, and even managed to stick it to her for teasing him last night. Five letter word that makes one's hair stand on end her ass. She had already done the daily crossword puzzle and that was definitely not on there.

His jacket was draped over her shoulders as they ate Italian ice. She was so beautiful. Her dark hair falling perfectly against her navy dress, as her skin seemed to have the perfect glow. He also noticed that she was wearing the strappy heels she bought only just recently. The smile she wore, the gentle and playful glint in her eyes, reminders of what he never wanted to let go of. Sophie Deveraueax owned his heart.

The sound of a ball hitting the back of Sophie's chair, pulled them from each other's gaze. Nate stopped the ball with his foot and picked it up as a little girl came running towards them. Gently tossing the ball back to her, Nate stopped the girl. "It's best to keep the ball right in front of you, always."

Sophie shook her head as they both watched the little girl run back to her father. "Sweet." Sophie crossed her legs and relaxed into her chair. "Did you ever play catch with your father?"

"Nah, no," Nate said also leaning back, imitating her body language. "We went to Fenway pretty much every year, went to a lot of games. He loved baseball."

Sophie studied him, trying to remind herself to be the mark. "You had that, at least," she told him gently.

"We sat there in the stands with our gloves, waiting for a foul ball. Then he was just… wasn't Jimmy," he shrugged a little, letting some real emotion show to her. She deserved that. In fact she deserved more than that, but baby steps. "You know, he was… he was my dad. He didn't give me much, but he gave me that."

Sophie straightened up and leaned toward him a bit. "Well, it can't have been all bad if he passed on his passion." Then her eyes had a playful glint in them, abandoning the mirrored pain they held only moments before. "Even if that passions for a sport that's not quite cricket."

Suddenly this wasn't a conversation about world sports. Nate scoffed. "Cricket?"

She batted her long eyelashes at him. "What? I know my cricket. Give me a batsman, a couple of balls, and you'll see if I can't out-stump him." Cricket was suddenly the game of a grifter. Moving just ad inch closer as Nate did so she shrugged. "You know, my daughter's become rather good at it as well, but I'm pretty sure Allanna is a fair baseball player as well. Her father passed a few traits on to her."

Nate didn't reply as he took in the comment. Instead he just studied her. "You really are beautiful," he told her, his words soft and loving.

She nearly gasped at his words as her heart fluttered in her chest and butterflies danced in her stomach. Her eyes darted away from his to hide the shock of emotion she felt, but finally they fell back into the starry blue gaze he had on her. They watched each other for a moment longer before Nate cleared his throat and picked up the empty cups that once held Italian ice. He offered her his arm and she took it without much thought. This was where they were supposed to be.

Nate heard Meredith's come go offline and he quickly removed it from his ear as Sophie handed his jacket back to him. "Ok. Meredith is off comms. Parker?"

"_I'm here. Is Sophie ready?"_ she replied.

"Eliot, Hardison, we need to analyze that portrait. Meet me at the car." With that, Nate removed his com and looked at Sophie. "Time to get a move on."

She gave him a flirtatious smile. "I thought that's what you have been doing," she teased. They walked side by side, smiling softly.

"Listen," Nate said finally, reaching out for her elbow to stop her. "I picked you," he told her trying to show her the raw emotion he felt toward her. "I didn't pick the others. Hardison, Parker, Eliot, I picked you. All right?"

She struggled to keep her emotions at bay as she nodded a little. All she could do was let him close the distance between them and take her lips to his. They had kissed so many times, but this time it was different. It didn't have the need and the fear like the time he kissed her on the ship, it didn't have the lust like San Lorenzo, or the comfort from when they would discuss Anna. No, it was filled to the brim with an emotion that Sophie feared she would never feel from him. Love.

Her hand held his cheek as his pulled her closer by her hip and the other rested in her hair. There was a slight plead of _choose me_ from both sides and just like that, they knew they would never be apart.

When the con was done, they had Meredith's files and sent the evidence to the authorities and they were finally home. Anna had slept nearly the entire way home, only to be extremely awake hours later when they arrived back at McRory's. Her fever seemed to be gone for good and she was perking up again.

"Ew," I muttered as Walt and Lacey embraced and kissed. She was less than half his age. It would be like me kissing Eliot… no like me kissing Nate… No! Me kissing Nate's _dad. _I cringed at the thoughts. Sometimes I hated my own imagination.

Sophie shook her head at me. "You're too young to understand love," she told me softly. "Especially true love."

I raised my brow at her. "So if I brought home Eliot's extremely hot friend Shelly, who is only fifteen years older than me, you would be okay with it if I told you he was my _true love_?"

Sophie opened her mouth, then closed it again. It took her a moment to respond. "When you're twenty-five you can date whomever you want."

My jaw dropped. "Twenty-five? Most parents say eighteen!"

The look she shot at me was menicing. "I'm not most parents. You're not most kids. We're not most people."

Eliot shrugged. "I was going for thirty."

I glanced at Nate who didn't even look at me. "If it was up to me, you'd never date."

I rolled my eyes and slumped against the bar, continuing sipping on my coke. They killed me. Before I could make another comment though, a man arrived at the door with three packages. "Looking for a Miss Devereaux," Sophie jumped up, nearly spilling her drink as she hurried towards the man.

"That's me!" she exclaimed happily taking the white box with red ribbon form him.

"A Parker," the man said and Parker raised her hand.

"Thanks!" she said pleasantly, looking over the box.

The man looked a little taken back as he tried to read the final card. "And a… Pipsqueak?"

Eliot pointed down to me and I glared at him. This was not part of the plan. At first it was just suppose to be Sophie getting flowers, then we agreed to help Hardison out some too. How the hell did I end up with a box too?

Parker pulled the top of the box off to reveal a Venus fly trap. Something that she immediately took interest to. "It eats bugs! Huh. A plant that does something!"

Sophie then laid the box on the bar and pulled it open to reveal white roses. Eliot and I exchanged glances. I was sure to order two dozen and have a single red one thrown into the middle. It was something that Nate could have thought of if he put his mind to it and Sophie would love it.

She looked at him as she snaked her arm around his neck and rested her palm on his chest. "I take it all back," she told him sweetly, kissing the area right by his ear as she rested her head against his. "Every word. You are a romantic."

Nate and Hardison looked at Eliot and I. I shrugged a little and Eliot winked. We could cover for them if they needed.

Parker looked at me and my somewhat forgotten gift. "What did you get, Anna?" she asked me as I watched Nate and Sophie.

Suddenly every turned to me as Eliot had a smile on his lips. I looked at him then back at the present. I blinked at him. "Well…"

"Aren't ya going to open it, Pipsqueak?" Eliot teased making me purse my lips at him.

Slowly, I pulled the top off the box to reveal a little stone frog vase with a lily inside. The frog was holding a chalk board that said "Get Well Soon, Kid". My heart melted. "Aww! Eliot it's so cute!" I told him, but just as I went to grab for it, a mist sprayed out of the frogs mouth, catching me by surprise.

I started coughing, fanning the mist away from my face when I realized it had a very familiar smell.

Turning slowly, I glared at him. "Lysol? You made it spray _Lysol?_" I snapped dangerously.

Everyone at the table started laughing, everyone except me. I was fuming. "That's good, man. Teach Miss Sicky to not pass on her grossness!" Hardison laughed as I shot death glares around the table.

Yup. I hated them all…

_**I love when they team up against each other. Especially poor Nate in the beginning. I realize this didn't have as much Anna as usual, but this episode was really a tribute to Sophie and Nate and I didn't want to take away from that. Anyway. Please review!**_


	58. Siblings

_**Okay. Same as last time. If you guys hate it or think this is a bad idea, I can delete it and go into the chapter I had planned on writing before. But this came into my mind and I thought this could add a few more storylines into the plot line. **_

I stood underneath a bridge, about two miles outside of Boston. There was gun in my right hand, but it was just a precaution. My brain was telling me to get back into Sophie's car and go home, never breathe a word of what I was doing to the team. It would become nothing but a night where I borrowed the car and took it out for a drive. Perhaps I would stretch the truth, tell them I met up with Aaron. Never mention I left the city at all.

Just as I was about to unlock the car and head back home, a black Ford Focus came rolling through the gravel. I swallowed hard and leaned against the Porsche with mock confidence. After reminding myself that I could have ignored the letter, I decided it was too late to turn back now.

The Focus went into park and the driver side door opened. "Hey, sis," the familiar male voice called as I glared at the image of the bulky man stepping out of the car. The distant street light lit the features of my brother's thick bone structure and sandy hair. "Long time no see."

I set my jaw. "Not long enough. Why are you here, Cory?"

If it wasn't for the letter, the letter that was hand delivered to Sophie's door by a little boy asking for Anna. When I opened it, I immediately recognized the handwriting as well as the safe words that were often used between my brother and I in our childhood. The words that meant things we were afraid to say incase our parents over heard. Then there was a location at the bottom of the paper. Sophie had asked me what it was and I muttered something about the little boy having a crush on me, and she didn't ask any more questions.

He stepped toward me and noticed the handgun. Suddenly his cocky disposition changed to dangerous. "Planning on convincing me to put that to my own head? Or are you actually going to get your hands dirty?" he snapped angrily.

To be honest, I expected the anger sooner. After all, our parents' death was primarily on me. Still, he didn't seem completely beside himself.

"That's not the way it happened, and besides, they nearly killed me," I snapped back. Slowly the questions began piling up in my brain. Someone could finally answer them. "How long did ago did Mom come back?" I asked him dangerously. "Was she there when I was there a couple months ago?"

Cory's face sobered. There was guilt in his eyes. "I wanted to convince you to come back so that they didn't hurt you, Anna. You're still my sister. We stuck up for each other when we were kids." There was a moment where he looked as though he wanted to add, that we're no longer children. But that wasn't the completely truth. I was still only sixteen and he was twenty-one. We weren't more than kids.

Then he sighed. "Mom's been back for years. Dad sent her to rehab before you came home for the last time. He wasn't going to let her come home, but then you left. You may not believe me, but it broke his heart. The main reason he took Mom back was so that he could have a little piece of you back. After the first year, Mom and Dad figured you ran off and got yourself killed, so they did what they could to try and replace you. Mom was clean for a while. Really. She stayed clean through the entire pregnancy."

My heart stopped. "Pregnancy?" I gasped. Why was it beginning to feel like everything I thought I knew was a lie? Nothing about my parents made sense anymore. Nothing at all. Why was this happening? Why could one thing about my past, the past I remembered be true?

Cory shook his head. "Anna, Mom was always the smart one. Mom knew what you wanted, she knew how to keep you coming back. You shared that ability. Those skills aren't taught, their bred into you. Yes, she loved you. She felt bad. That's why she did the drugs, because she realized what she had turned you into."

Anger boiled in my stomach. "Stop blaming me!" I shouted, tears burning in my eyes.

Cory reached out to me, but I pulled away. "I'm not blaming you. I'm telling you what you didn't know. You were too young to see through it all. But it's done. They're gone."

I shrugged. "So what? You want me to come back with you? What the hell do you want from me?" My voice was like daggers and I could see each one of them hitting him harder.

He walked up to me and put both hands on my shoulders, but I refused to look him in the eye. He didn't deserve that from me. He deserved nothing from me. "I came to tell you goodbye, Annie. I'm leaving the country tomorrow and I'm not coming back. It's too late for me to try and start a life on the straight and narrow, at least here." Reaching down, he touched my chin. "I know our family has never been very good at showing we care, but you have people that care about you now."

Nothing really made sense. I stood there, as Cory pulled me into a hug. "Siblings have to stick together," he told me. Then slowly he pulled back and looked into my eyes. "That's why our sister needs you."

I blinked at him, my emotions numbed by shock as he turned around and reached into the back seat of the car. "Pop your trunk," he told me. Without hesitating, I did so. He lifted a dufflebag and a large box out and carried it over to my trunk. Then he went back for a few more bags before he stopped and extended his hand for the gun. I gave it to him and he threw it in the trunk as well. The entire time I just stood there in shock. Finally, I heard him speaking softly to someone as he leaned into the back seat of the car.

He lifted a little child into his arms, a pink blanket covering her as he moved toward me. "This is our sister, Anna," he told me softly as the little girl turned around to study me. She was maybe two, but I could already see our matching features. Dark, curly hair, big brown eyes. She looked nearly identical to me when I little.

"Nana," the girl tried to repeat, but couldn't quite get the first A. Suddenly she was forced into my arms and Cory kissed her forehead.

He looked down at both of us. "You can give her the best chance, Annie. You and that bizarre family you seem to have obtained."

There was a smile on his lips as he kissed my forehead, but I couldn't return the smile. My body was numb. My emotions were numb. I was just standing there was he turned and walked away. "Wait!" I called after him finally. "I can't do this! This isn't right!" Cory didn't respond, only opened the door to his vehicle. I let out an exasperated sound. "What's her name? At least tell me her name!"

This stopped him. He looked over the top of the car at me and shrugged a little. "This is her new beginning as well. Start her out with a new name."

All I could do was watch in shock as my brother drove away, leaving me with this little child to take care of. This child that I recently learned was my sister, born only to replace me, was sitting comfortably in my arms. I felt something in her coat pocket. It was a piece of paper.

_2 Years Old. Birthday 2/28._

She seemed completely comfortable in my arms, not fearful of me as a stranger in the least. "Can you tell me your name?" I asked her.

She only grinned at me and shook her head as she stuck her thumb in her mouth. "You Nana," she told me again, bouncing slightly. I was beginning to get that feeling that Cory had been planning this for a while. He had probably showed her my picture time and time again to make my face familiar, maybe he even linked it to a positive emotion, a smile or a laugh. But she was comfortable with me.

I looked at the back seat of my car and noticed Cory had somehow managed to insert a car seat, though I wasn't completely sure I remembered seeing him do it. I was in shock. My head spinning. Carefully, I set her into the backseat and buckled her into the car seat, the best I could figure. "Nana! Nana!" she cheered, her hand in her mouth as she giggled.

I had to admit, her bubbly disposition did make me melt. Still, I was not sure how the team was going to react. I turned the key in the ignition and sucked in a breath. This was going to be a long night.

_**Okay… So… we have a lot of options here. We have the possibility of Maggie or Tara taking the baby, or the team could keep her. Personally, I like the idea of the team keeping her and naming her. Plus, I really like the idea of Hardison, Eliot, Anna and Parker babysitting. But if I'm going to keep the chapter, the baby needs a name. Best name idea gets a cookie, I mean, if we keep the chapter. **_


	59. What Is In A Name?

_**The chapter you have been waiting for. You all brought up excellent points and I actually think you may see a bit of that in this chapter. **_

I sat in the car, my hands resting on the leather steering wheel. My mind was swimming. So deep in thought, I was almost oblivious to the rest of the world. It was the sounds of the little girl's giggles that pulled me back into reality. Still, my head spun at the worry of what I was supposed to do with her.

I opened the door and leaned into the back seat to pull the girl into my arms, where she went happily. "Nana!" she repeated joyously.

Thinking it best to avoid the bar, I took the ally entrance and the steps. She clung to her pink blanket and hummed a nameless tune as she played with my curls the entire way up the apartment. The key fumbled in my hand as I tried to shift her and open the door. At the moment, Nate's place was vacant of the team. The lights were off and only Phantom raised his head with sleepy eyes to greet us.

The little girl saw Phantom immediately. "Puppy!" she cheered wiggling out of my arms and darting of the animal that was probably quadruple her size and weight.

Phantom stared at the child, but didn't get up. Slowly down a little, she stopped about a foot from him. "Nice," she said glancing at me with a smile. I wasn't sure if she was asking me or telling me he was nice, but I nodded anyway. The huge dog put his head out and sniffed the her, making her giggle as his wet nose huffed in her face. Taking once last look at her, he nudged her with his huge snout and she began petting him gently.

"Nice!" she exclaimed happily.

She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face into his fur. The dog looked completely alright with this face and laid his head back down as the tiny human continued to squirm on top of him.

Realizing that I was still standing just outside the door, I moved in and kicked it shut behind home. There was a split second where I considered grabbing one of Sophie's bottle of wine and pouring myself a glass, but considering what was going to happen when they arrived, I thought better of it. Instead I went for a water glass and filled it from the tap.

I studied the girl from a distance, silently wondering what my parents must have been thinking. I was glad I had gotten out of their grip but I was mortified to learn that this small, precious child was born to take over what I once did. If I would have known, if I would had the slightest suspicion of her existence, I would have saved her long before anything could happen to her.

Her big brown eyes met mine from across the ways and she beamed at me, giggling happily. Were all children this happy? Did she get to experience a feeling of protection?

Cory. Cory would have protected her. As much as we saw things differently, he still was my brother and she was still our sister. He remember Dad breaking my collar bone just like I remember when he was stripped down in the yard and beat with a rod until his whelps bled. He was going to protect her.

_At least that's what I'm going to tell her one day, _I told myself.

"Hungry," she told me, but she wasn't whiney. Everything in her voice had a slightly curious sound to it.

I blinked at her. What did two year olds eat? "Want some cereal?" I asked already going for Parker's stash on the top shelf of the highest cabinet.

Her eyes lit up and she ran toward me, wrapping her arms around my legs as I grabbed for a plastic bowl. "Cereals!"

She accepted the bowl and plopped down right in the middle of the kitchen floor. Did kids always just stop where ever they were to pick up a new activity? Just plopping down in the middle of the kitchen floor seemed sorta odd.

"That's not the point, Parker! CGI Yoda is a mockery!" Hardison exclaimed as the door flew open and the team filed in.

Reaching down, I scooped her up and held her, waiting to be noticed.

Sophie and Nate both looked annoyed, but Eliot looked like he was ready to tear Hardison's arms off and feed them to him. Parker just continued skipping around, completely ignoring him and making herself at home on the couch.

"Do not ignore me, woman!" he exclaimed making the small child in my arms giggle.

The room fell silent and everyone turned around and looked at me. You would have thought the adults would have gotten whiplash as fast as they had turned around.

The little being start squirming in my arms until I let her slide down my hip and pick up the bowl. She totted over to the adults and raised it up to Sophie, but not before reaching into it and shoving a handful of fruit loops in her mouth. "Share cereals?" she asked sweetly.

Shocked, Sophie shook her head. "No-no thank you," she stuttered glancing past the girl and giving me an odd look before returning her gaze to the child. "What's your name sweetie?"

The child just smiled and raised her arms to be picked up. Sophie obliged and the little pointed to me. "Sissy Nana," she informed the team before wrapping her arms around Sophie's neck and laying her head on her shoulder.

Everyone stared at me, but Nate was the first to speak. "Anna, what's going on?" His words were careful. He was attempting to not jump to the worst conclusion, but that's exactly where his mind went.

"Meet my sister," I said exasperated. "Cory dumped her off on me so he could escape from the country, but not before completely destroying everything I thought I knew about my childhood."

My voice was extremely cold and I could tell that wasn't helping matters, but I wasn't completely out of shock yet. The room stayed completely silent as everyone just stared at me. I shrugged. "Yup, that was my response too."

"I'm just not sure where to begin," Sophie said carefully, her conflicted emotions registering in her voice.

Parker on the other hand was already over the shock and was tickling the girl's sides. "What's her name?"

I raised my glass of water at her as I moved around the kitchen island toward them. "If that's not the million dollar question…"

Hardison gave me a bizarre look. "She doesn't have a name?"

"Cory told me to start her life over with a new name, not telling me her old one." I couldn't resist smiling at the big brown eyes that twinkled at me as I poked her a little. "And this one's not talking either."

She looked a little frustrated. "I talk!" she assured me, sitting up. "Talk-talk-talk!"

"But what's your name?" I tried one more time, hoping that she would give it up.

She studied me for a long time, before sighing dramatically and shaking her head. "Bubby said no!" she told me with surprising force. "Bubby said new name, Nana."

I sighed. "But what was your old name?"

She crossed her arms and huffed at me. "No, no, no!"

Nate watched as Anna tried to coax the name out of the little girl, but it was no use. It was painfully obvious the relation the girl's had. Everything from their appearance to their facial expressions were ungodly similar. The absurd loyalty the little girl felt toward her brother was very similar to Anna's own loyalty to Sophie and himself.

Anna groaned in frustration and the child mimicked her. He wasn't sure if the child too was frustrated or sensed a need to mirror Anna's emotions.

"Okay, I really can't stand her not having a name," Anna exclaimed, putting her hands in her hair. "I feel like if she doesn't have a name then we're objectifying her. We're turning her into an object and not a person. She's a person!"

Nate was surprised by Anna's outburst, but only because for once it was direct. It didn't take the building time it usually took for Anna's inner thoughts to be pried open. Times like these were the times you were given small glimpses of the history of abuse hidden somewhere behind the haunted bit brown eyes.

"Alice!" Parker shot immediate. "Alice White!"

Everyone turned and looked at her, but didn't grace her with a response. "Viola," Sophie said softly, tracing the girl's cheek.

Nate glanced over at her, a knowing smile on his lips. "Twelfth Night?"

Sophie's only reply was the faintest blush appearing on her cheeks.

"What about Hope?" Eliot offered, jumping into the conversation.

Hardison shrugged a little. "I like hope. It's nice."

Anna smiled a little at the girl. "What about Hope? Do you like it?"

The child's nose wrinkled up and she shook her head. Okay, one was already vetoed. Everyone kept rattling off names that kept getting shot down by one person or another. Everyone except Nate. He was deep in thought.

"Rosalie." His single word cut off all other conversations.

Everyone turned around and looked at him. Sophie thought for a moment, then nodded. "Rosalie. Rose for short. What do you think, darling?" she asked the little girl who seemed to had gotten bored on the conversation and was laying her head on Sophie's shoulder.

She blinked and then smiled softly. "Yup-yup."

There was the briefest moment of silent celebration as Sophie absentmindedly started swaying, rocking the child to sleep before Hardison had to ruin it.

"So, the main question is, what the hell are we gonna do with her?" he said, barely remembering to keep his voice down. "Anna was one thing. She knew how to take care of herself and she was raised a criminal, _Rosalie_ is nothing but a baby. We don't have time for that."

Everyone turned to Anna. She knew he was right, but this was her sister they were talking about. They couldn't just ship her away. That little girl, half asleep in Sophie's arms was her blood. They were the only family they had left anymore. The only blood family, at least. They needed each other.

"You have to make the decision, and I don't mean to sound dramatic, but Rose and I stay together," she told them, reaching out to touch the springy curls. "If that means her and me going to live at Maggie's or staying here, she and I are in it together."

Anna's words did not surprise Nate and Sophie nearly as much as they did the others. There was a very large piece of Anna that was broken that was maybe never going to heal correctly and Anna wanted to be sure that the same didn't happen to her sister. It was the noble thing to do, it was the brave thing to do, and it was not the easiest.

The decision Anna made was not a selfish one. She was willing to leave the family she had created over the past 8 months and try and build on for her little sister.

It was not the team's decision. This was Nate and Sophie's decision. They were Anna's parents; they were the ones who made most of the major decisions about the team. Their word was law, and though it may be argued at time, it always stayed law.

Nate and Sophie both looked at each other. They weren't willing to give up Anna. That much was obvious, but they really were already stretching themselves thin with a dog around. Rosalie getting added to the equation complicated things anymore.

But isn't complicated what they did?

"She stays," Nate said finally, earning a relieved look from his oldest daughter as she jumped into his arms. "But there is a lot we have to talk about."

*Anna*

The next week was spent making plans and "just in case" arrangements with Maggie, Sterling and Tara. Ones that I never even realized were already in effect for me. It was agreed that Rosalie would choose her own path. If she chose to follow in the family's footsteps, she would stay with them, learn and one day join me a team in the future. If she ever changed her mind and chose to a normal life, then she would live with Maggie. She would be visited regularly by the people she was already claiming as her family.

The boxes Cory had given me were more than just supplies and clothing. There were letters from him in them. Letters for both me and Rose. There were photo albums. Ones that were filled with me and Cory growing up as well as a stack of photos of Rose. There was even stuff from my room. My old song books, the videos of my ballet, and even the necklace that belonged to my mother. The necklace my father had ripped off my neck years ago.

The story of my childhood was told by an unreliable narrator. Whether it is being told through the ignorant eyes of my innocence, the drug induced vision of my mother, the compulsive lying words of my father, or the idealistic and apologetic secrets hinted at by my brother.

Rosalie would never endure that. Rosalie will know she is loved. She will always be protected and she will always be cared for.

A couple days after the first meeting with Rosalie, I asked Nate where he came up with the name "Rosalie". He looked at me and smiled.

"'What is in a name that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet?'" he quoted. Sighing slightly, he rested his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it slightly. "I thought it was agreeable."

Agreeable. It fit perfectly. At first I feared I would feel cut out of Nate and Sophie's life now that a child was more interesting to play with, but I knew they loved me. I knew they always would. We were a family.

I watched as Nate picked her up off the floor and swung her into the air, sending the sounds of giggles through the room. Sophie once told me, I taught Nate to love again. Maybe with the help of Rosalie they could teach me too.

_**So what do you think? I'm super excited to know!**_


	60. Broken Pasts

_**Can you believe this is chapter 60? There is over 400 pages of this on my laptop now. Okay, question before I jump into this. After the end of season 4, should I start a new story on here or just continue it under "Broken Locks"? Anyway, enjoy!**_

"Rose, no," Sophie snapped without even turning around. Sophie's two bedroom apartment had gotten too small for us, but we were managing. It was when we were at Nate's apartment, like now, that sometimes made things feel a little squished. Surprisingly enough, Rosalie was pretty self sufficient. She was already potty trained and was very capable of keeping herself entertained. Nate often commented on her intellectual level, something Sophie was always sure to add definitely ran in my family.

Rosalie looked over at Sophie from her place on the floor. She was getting really brave about trying to ride Phantom. She had managed to climb on his back once while he was standing, but the dog looked frightened to move once she was there. When I came in, Phantom just stayed completely still until I pick Rose off of him.

"Ride?" she asked pouting slightly. "Ride, please?"

"Phantom is not a horse," Eliot reminded her, picking her up and dangling her upside down. "And you are not a cowboy."

Rose pouted. "But you're a cowboy," she told him, crossing her arms as her hair hung toward the floor.

"Phantom's still not a horse," Sophie reminded her, turning the page in her book. I leaned against Sophie and waited for Nate and Hardison to return from speaking with a client. She wrapped her arms around me and held me there for a long moment. I think she was afraid of me feeling replaced, that I was no longer her girl anymore. Part of me wanted to tell her that I knew our relationship wasn't going to change and she didn't have to put forth the extra effort. The rest of me didn't mind the extra attention.

"Eliot," Rose finally whined as her face was beginning to turn red. "Up, please."

Eliot flipped her around and set her on her feet, steadying her before she fell into the coffee table. As Nate walked by, Rosalie wrapped her arms around his leg and grinned up at him. Something about Nate that Rosalie just loved.

"Puzzles, Daddy?" she asked looking up to Nate. Yes, she called Nate and Sophie "Daddy" and "Momma". I had recently started referring to them similarly, so she picked up on it. It was actually quite impressive. Rosalie was exceptionally bright.

"Will you listen to Momma and leave Phantom alone?" he asked her in a authoritative tone.

She nodded vigorously and Nate reached for one of the twenty piece puzzles from the shelf. He set the box on the ground in front of her and she immediately took a seat in the middle of the floor. Casually stepping over her, Nate took a seat on the opposite side of Sophie. The entire family was hanging out on a much needed day off after a con nearly blew up in our faces in Oregon. It was agree that Hardison was not ready to run a con, at least not yet, and playing tag team with Rosalie, though a bit of a hassle, really not that hard. At least, this time.

I could feel Sophie hold me a little tighter, sensing my slight withdraw. My mind was on other things. Nate walked by and dropped Cory's letters about Rosalie on the table. They were just general information: allergies, shot records, blood type. They told of little quirks she had, most of which involved her pink blankie.

As he stopped them on the table, I just stared at the handwriting. I had seen it so much lately that it made me cringe slightly.

It was no lie that I had been slowly pulling away lately. Cory's letters, the ones addressed to me, I kept a secret. The photo albums, the music books, the necklace, were all hidden under a floor board of my bedroom and I couldn't get myself to look at them, much less share them with anyone. I couldn't convince myself to flip through the pages and see solid evidence.

The letter's Rosalie receive were mostly sent to a future her. When she was twelve, sixteen, eighteen, and twenty-one. Mine were just there. Staring me in the face with a certain demanding knowledge that told me to get over myself. That perhaps my childhood was not as bad as I would have liked to believe, in order to justify my leaving. Perhaps my parents loved me so much that they wanted me to harness my unique skills and to harden me to the possibilities of life.

Could I look at those pictures and decipher the true circumstances behind them? Would my tarnished memory become even more unreliable?

Absently, I shook my head, so deep in my own thoughts I forgot I wasn't alone. The abuse was real. The broken bones were real. The scars were real.

Those things heal, but you can never forget they happened.

Suddenly I was nine again…_Tears were rolling down my face in hot streams as my father took dangerous strides toward me. He had the rod in his hand and a hateful glint in his eye. My mother was behind him, telling me that he had to be the reinforce, but once it was done we could go back to playing piano. _

"_Daddy, no. I'm sorry," I cried as I cowered against the wall. "Really, I tried to bring it to you, but it was too big to hide and-"_

_The rod came so fast I only heard the connection and felt the push of the rod send me into the wall. It took half a second for the pain to kick in. My shoulder felt like someone had cut it, but it was only a red whelp growing across it. _

"_Take off your shirt and turn around," Daddy told me. His voice wasn't angry, just business like. It was as though he was just trying to teach me something, not be mean. Why didn't I ever see that before.?_

_I shook my head and backed away. My mother looked past him at me. "Just do it, sweetie. It'll be over before you know it."_

_Why would my trusted mother support this man? Still, I believe her. Nodding, only slightly, I pulled my shirt over the top of my head and turned around. Out of the corner of my eye I could see my father pull his arm back ready to strike._

Something reached out and touched my arm. I jumped away so quickly, I was standing by the window before anyone could even blink. I was panting, my body trembling, my heart going at a pace that I was sure it was going to jump out of my chest and my vision was blurry.

"You okay, kid?" Eliot asked me, his expression clearly concerned.

I forced a curt nod. This had been happening. Panic attacks. But usually they were in the middle of the night and I would wake up and have them. This time it hit me suddenly simply because my mind hand wondered in a dangerous direction. The damned letters.

"Anna?" Hardison said taking a step closer to me. I held my hand out for him to stay back.

Parker noticed it. Parker saw it before everyone else, she came toward me and before I could push her away, she grabbed my wrist. "You need air," she told me, forcing open the window and letting the cold air hit my face.

Slowly I was beginning to feel like I could breathe again. My back was tingling as though the memory had been real. I pushed past her and headed outside.

They all watched as Anna slammed the door behind her. Parker stayed by the window, the concern evident in her eyes. She understood.

Nate at some point had picked up Rosalie and was holding her, standing in the same place he had when Anna bolted for the door. Even the child in his arms looked concerned for her sister. Finally, Nate turned to Parker, the only one who seemed to have thought fast enough to maybe understand.

"What just happened?" he asked her as Rosalie continued looking at the door, ready for her sister to return.

Parker grabbed her jacket off the coat rack and headed toward the door. Anna may have thought she needed to be alone, but Parker knew better. "Panic attack," she said simply. "This has been happening more often than you think. They've been coming and going since the accident."

Sophie blinked at the thief. "What are you talking about?" she asked. There was a slight defensive tone to her question, but she felt it was justified. Parker was accusing her of not knowing Anna. She was accusing them all of brushing Anna's emotions under the rug, at least that's what Sophie felt like she was doing.

Parker glared at Sophie, something that really has never happened before. Then again, Parker's protective side really came out when Anna was involved. "Things don't always fit into your perfect expectation of the world, Sophie, and Anna is afraid that she won't fit in it. It's so black and white and perfect. You see things as you want to. You assume we're always going to stay together, that we're always going to be safe, that we can forget who we were and be who we are now."

Everyone was surprised at Parker. This was not very characteristic of her. They had always realized that Parker and Anna shared something that the rest of them couldn't quite comprehend, but they never quite were sure what that was. Yes they were abused, yes they were created to be criminals, yes they saw the darkest aspects of life, but their connection went so much deeper. They trusted each other, wholly. In a way that no one could quite understand.

Remember Anna's pain was more difficult that remembering Parker's. Parker behaved differently than other women in their twenties. She was child like, affectionate in her own way, and emotional unresponsive. Anna was a classic teenager with strong adult traits, who loved to be held and would give you the basic emotions. She appeared normal. Mostly normal.

There were hints of her fragile being, but they were so easily pushed out of their mind by her primarily responsive self. The broken bits only appeared in rare, short bursts, that she pretended didn't happen after.

"So, are you saying Anna's worried about being replaced by Rosalie?" Sophie tried, going to her initial fear first.

Parker rolled her eyes. "No," she snapped quickly.

Rose looked at Nate. "Nana okay?" she asked glancing back toward the door.

No one answered, because the only one who knew the answer for sure was Parker. She seemed so angry at everyone for not seeing what even she saw. "There's so much you don't know about her," she told them, shaking her head a little. "Did you know she jumps across roof tops when she feels numb? That she runs until she can't anymore because it hurts and it's something to feel? She still dances when no one is looking? She has weekly phone calls to Maggie and she does whatever Aaron does because she want to feel normal?"

There was guilt in everyone's eyes as she looked around the room. "Did you know that she has flashbacks of her father beating her? Or that she was so afraid to tell you that she saw Sam the day she had the accident?"

Nate sucked in a breath and Sophie kept staring at Parker. Anna confided in Parker more than she ever confided in her. "I'm going to go talk to her," Parker said finally, leaving them alone in the room.

Sophie stood up but didn't move from there. She had to talk to Anna. She needed to tell Anna that everything was okay. That it would be okay. That Sophie's world was not nearly as black and white and idealistic as other's believed. No matter what kind of color Anna brought, it would always be welcome.

Suddenly she sat back down on the couch and buried her face in her hands. She wasn't sure what to do. Did she go after Anna? Did she wait for Anna to come to her? It hurt that Parker knew all this that Sophie hadn't. It killed her that Anna didn't trust her.

Hardison watched Sophie. "It's not your fault, Soph. Anna and Parker are just different."

His words were suppose to help her, but they didn't really have much effect. Slowly, he moved toward her and wrapped his arms around her. Hardison and Sophie did not have the same relationship as he and Nate did, or she and Parker did. Sophie cared about him, and often worried Nate was too hard on him, but over all they were a little more distant. This they shared though. He knew what it was like to never be able to fully understand Parker and she was learning that about Anna.

Parker made it up to the roof to see Anna running a nervous hand through her hair as she stared at the ground, tears rolling down her cheeks. Slowly she went toward her. Parker sat down beside her and petted her arm. It was her silent way of saying _talk to me. _

Anna bit her lower lip and squeezed her eyes shut. "I'm jealous of Rosalie," she muttered.

Parker nodded. "So Sophie was right?"

Anna shook her head vigorously. "No, I'm jealous because," she hiccupped through a sob, "because she doesn't have to go through what I went through. Cory protected her."

The tears kept coming as Parker held her. Anna felt bad about being jealous. But she had scars she would never be able to fully hide. She was broken and battered and beat to a point of no return.

Parker would protect Anna, she would be sure that Anna never became as broken as she was. Archie told her once that she was lucky. She had never felt lucky until four years ago when she found a team. When she found people she could trust with her life.

But just like Anna, trusting people with her life wasn't the same as trusting people with her past. The past was dark and scary. A place that she and Anna shared. No one was allowed to know the fullest extent of what she had gone through. No one except someone who had gone through it themselves.

"Please don't tell Sophie," Anna muttered as she cried. "She'll think it's stupid."

Parker shook her head, looking up to see the dark hair woman coming toward them. "Anna, Sophie loves you. She loves us all."

"She'll hate me," Anna choked into the blonde's shoulder.

"No, darling," Sophie said gently, bending down to be on the same level. "I could never hate you."

Anna looked up at Sophie before going to her. Parker kept petting the girl's hair as she cried. "I miss my parents," Anna cried softly. The emotions were so confusing for her, there was no wonder she was in tears.

But Sophie understood. As wrong as it was, as much pain as someone had caused you, you will always love who you love. "I know darling."

Sophie kept holding her there, waiting for her to calm. "One day, when you're ready, I want you to tell me everything," she whispered into Anna's hair. "No matter how bad, no matter how scary, I will always be here for you."

Slowly, Anna nodded, hopefully taking this for truth.

They all had broken lives. Broken pasts. Broken hearts. That's what made them who they were. But just because a heart was broken, didn't mean it didn't work.

_**I wanted one more chapter before I went into the season finale. This chapter is needed for a future reference, just letting you know. One day those albums and letters have to be opened! Anyway, please tell me what you think. **_


	61. Story of Jimmy Ford

_**So, this chapter is definitely different than anything else I've written, but this episode was so powerful, that every other way I wrote it, didn't quite grasp that. I hope you guys like it. **_

Have you ever seen your father cry? Or worse, the moment when he can't. The moment when he's so numb to the pain he just stares in horror at the image in front of him. There were no tears in his eyes as debris fell from the air and landed around him. His body covering my own, trying to keep me safe. Blood dripping from his ear and face as nothing registers as his expression.

The moment when a man realizes he has lost his father.

_The Story of Jimmy Ford, a man who loved his son._

_I was not the father I should have been. I was never a man my son, my moral and ethical son, would have been proud of. I had broken people's knee caps, put guns to people's heads, threaten men's families. This was something that Nathan would have never done. _

_Perhaps the way I ran my household was wrong, but it was the way many households were ran at the time. My wife respected me and my son feared me, just as it should have been. For the longest time, I saw my son as weak. He clung to his mother when I walked through the door, flinch at my raised hand. His little mind games were irrelevant to the reality of life. His puzzles pointless. _

_The moment that boy was born, I knew he wasn't made for my kind of business. Tender hearts get you nowhere. Yet, where he is now is so much further than I would have ever realized._

_Perhaps my greatest gift was hiding my intelligence. After all, my son had gotten it from somewhere. People underestimated me. Latimer made this same mistake. Nate had done the same so many times as well. _

_One person who never underestimated me was that girl of his, Anna. She could see through a play better than anyone I knew. Her heart, though guarded, seemed to be ready to protect everyone she cared about. That girl was the same girl that put a gun to my face and threatened to kill me for Nate. Yet, something had changed in her since that day. _

_When she came to me in the patent office, I prepared for a battle of sarcasm and wit, something that she did not have planned. Instead she sat down beside me and studied me for a long time. Her intelligence was obvious as she tossed in ideas and plans to Nathan as he tried to best figure how to find the patent and get us out of here. Her patience was not the best, but that was something I assumed was her age. _

_But Nathan's odd family had grown since I had seen them, not even a year ago. There was a child constantly in his arms or the arms of his lover. The dark haired woman that seemed to hold a protective eye over each member of the team. The blond thief had become less impulsive and his hacker was becoming more independent. The long haired hitter was mostly the same, but seemed to have relaxed some since the last time I had seen them. _

_It was obvious though that none of them seemed to care for me, that they were all there for Nathan. Except for maybe Anna. She was trying to find a way to apologize as she sat next to me, helping me search through stacks of patents. Finally I stopped her._

"_You're a smart girl," I told her, the edge of bitterness in my voice. It was there permanently, it had been engraved over the years into my voice. An intimidation technique that seemed to not affect the girl in the least. Still, my words were earnest. _

_She studied me, her eyes surprisingly soft. Time had changed her. She was growing gentle now to him. "You're a smart man. You're not nearly as bad as you act," she told me with a small smile. _

_Her charm and good looks were something that intrigued me. She was angelic. A child that was sent to save. This was hardly the same girl I had seen before. "What makes you say that?" I grumbled in response._

_She rolled her eyes. "Broken isn't always bad," she told me. _

_Through all the chaos going on around us. The police waiting outside the building to take us in, she seemed completely calm. She had completely faith in my son, a faith that I never seemed to have given him. _

_She was completely right. I am a broken man, and in return I had turned my son into a broken man. Fate had played against my family and taken my old grandchild away as well, breaking my son into a shattered fragment of what he could have been. Yet there was this girl, Anna, and the small child, Rosalie, putting pieces of broken people together. _

"_How would you know?" I hissed at her, trying to scare her away._

_The ice in my tone did take her back, but only for a moment. She studied me for a long time before her face softened. "We're all broken. I'm broken too. But I've learned more in pieces than I could have learned whole."_

_Her words stung me, but I didn't feel like listening to her anymore. The grifter had managed to get herself and the small child out of the building and Anna was leaving to help the hacker and thief with another project. Something made me nervous about my son and I being alone in a room together. _

_Something made me want to hurt my son. The same way as I always did. The way that really got to him. "You cooking up one of your fool-proof escape plans?"_

_He ignored me. This was classic. The same thing had happened so many times when he was a teenager. Mocking Nate got him to bust, that's what I needed. I needed him to realize that he had to leave. That Latimer was only in it to hurt him. Something I wouldn't let happen to my son. _

"_I don't need you to help," I hissed at him, silently begging for him to take his team, his family, and leave. _

_Nate didn't even look up. "Yeah, right. Okay," he grumbled in response, keeping his head down and still writing. "Yeah, you know, maybe I should have sent the Donnelly boys instead."_

_I stood up and turned around. Hurting Nathan would make him give up. Wash his hands of me. Leave. That's what he needed to do. "The Donnellys are only after me because of you," I reminded him._

"_Yeah, that's why I sent you to Ireland," he retorted._

"_What the hell was I suppose to do over there? Sit on a bar stool and tell stories?" I snapped. Nathan only shrugged. "Hey, I'm Jimmy Ford, damn it!"_

_Nate dropped his pen and glared at me. "Yeah, you're Jimmy Ford, yeah!" _

"_I'm someone they tell stories about!"_

_Nathan rolled his eyes. "Oh, great. Oh the great Jimmy Ford," her mocked rolling his eyes. "he comes back to add to his legend, huh?"_

_No… I came back to save you son. I came back to keep you from Latimer. I came back because my son needed me. "You're damn right!" I say instead. He could never know. He could never know why I was doing this. Our relationship was build on pain, that's all it would ever be. "I get that two million, I'm a free man."_

_The anger was building up in Nathan, and he opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. If I could have guess, I assumed Anna was trying to play referee. Still, his silence didn't last long, his voice only grew softer and colder. "Listen, old man, let me tell you something," he hissed but his voice gradually getting louder. "I got news for you. There never was two million. You weren't gonna get two million! The minute you walked out this building, those goons, they were gonna roll you like a drunk!"_

_Of course I knew that. We were both yelling now. "You have no idea what I'm capable of!"_

"_Yes I do!" Nate yelled back. "I know everything about you! I know about your rage, your blind rage!" The rage I had when I would beat him and his mother to a bloody pulp… The rage that I hated myself for. The rage that made me want to apologize for, but I never had been good at saying sorry._

"_I did this job for you, damn it!" The truth fell out of my mouth before I could stop it. Nathan stopped. He stared at me in shock, taken back by my words. "Latimer was gonna kill you if I didn't. You and your team." I shook my head and turned my back to him as emotion pricked at my eyes. "Said he would kill ya…" _

_There was a long silence and neither of us could look at each other. Finally, Nathan took a few steps back and shook his head. "I don't need you. I don't need you to help me with Latimer."_

"_Hey, I don't care whether you need me or not. You're my son. Those two kids need you and I have to do this."_

_Neither one of us spoke. We just stood in silence. I had won. I already knew that. The battle was mine. Still, the pain in Nathan's eyes didn't make me feel powerful in my victory. Other people's pain brought me nothing anymore. Except for maybe Latimer's._

_How was I supposed to know that brilliant girl followed me into that car? That she was willing to stay hidden in the trunk of my vehicle until it stopped. That she would run in behind him me to find me on the ground with a bomb ticking away. _

_I would do anything for my son, and that included protecting my grandchildren. _

_I had tried. I had given them the patent. I had accepted that there was probably going to be a bullet in my skull by the end of the day, but I never wanted to take a member of Nathan's family down with me. _

The entire team piled into stood outside of Lucile, trying to piece together the puzzle of where Jimmy had gone. Anna had tossed her earbud when she had decided to follow Jimmy, probably thinking she could talk to the man better if she could fully convince him she was speaking on her own behalf. Still, Nate was beside himself. That girl, as witty and quick as she may be, especially to see Jimmy's plan before the rest of them, she did not realize what she was about to walk into.

Sophie was holding Rosalie, trying to remind herself to stay calm as Nate paced back and forth in front of her and Hardison tried to find a track from the phone Jimmy used to cause a flashmob and assist in his escape.

"Shouldn't we be doing this on the road?" she asked as she bit her lip. Anna could be in danger. She did not trust Jimmy in the least, especially around Anna and especially after their last run in.

Eliot shook his head. "I wouldn't worry about it. I think the feds are gonna find who they are looking for." He was referring to their escape of the building. Then he realized she was referring to Anna. "We don't know what direction to go. We know they started here and we can't risk distancing ourselves further."

Grudgingly, Sophie nodded. Suddenly, Nate's phone rang. It was his father.

_JIMMY FORD  
Nate's panicked voice came over the speaker almost immediately. "Dad! Listen, where are you?"_ _He didn't wait for me to respond, he just kept going. "You have no idea who you're up against."_

_At the moment, I had still thought I was alone. I hadn't noticed the girl's stealthy presence behind me as I pulled the door open to the warehouse. "That's never stopped me before," I reminded him lightly. _

_Nate still didn't seem to accept this. I knew what I was doing. I knew how this was going to end. Why didn't he just see it? Just let me do this. "Yeah, okay. Now here's the thing, Dad-"_

"_You just sit back, and before you know it, we're gonna be tossing back a few, a couple of free men," I told him. It wasn't a lie. Just wishful thinking. As slight as the chance was, I preferred to think I was getting out of here alive_

"_Dad!" Nate's voice came again, but I had already disconnected the phone before he could say more. The time had come where I was going to be the father I had never been. _

Nate looked back at Hardison. "Alright, did you get a location?" Nate asked as Rosalie began to get more and more whiny. She could sense the fear and panic in her family and this made her nervous as well. Sophie tried to calm her, but it was difficult to bite back her own emotions.

"I got someplace close to the Baltimore waterfront, but if I ping it off the towers I can get a little closer. Why the hell did Anna take out her ear piece?" Hardison muttered as he turned back around.

"Alright," Nate said turning to Eliot. "Get us there." They all crawled into the van and slid the door shut behind them. It was going to be a race against the clock. Silently, Nate hoped Anna was going to be able to stop his father from doing anything stupid and not get hurt in the process.

*Anna*

I watched him move, not wanting to alert him of my presence until I found out what exactly he was doing. If he was truly double crossing us, then it would be best for me to stay silent until I was ready to strike.

He threw open the door and I slid in behind him, ducking behind barrels. I stayed hidden in the shadows of the warehouse as Jimmy moved toward the front. A man appeared holding a duffle bag. I assumed it was the two million.

Jimmy's body language was classic _go to hell_ as he greeted the man. "Where's the two million?" he asked to clarify the obvious.

The man in a well tailor suit decided to play a similar game. "Where's the patent?"

Jimmy raised his voice, appearing as the Irish thug he once was. "You didn't hear me?!"

The other man held his ground for a moment before reaching down and tossing the duffle to Jimmy's feet. Cautiously, never taking his eyes off of the thug, Jimmy bent down to check the contents.

The man didn't give him a chance to speak. "The patent, old man?"

Jimmy Ford just looked at the man. "Deal is… two million, and my son's life."

Shoving a hand over my mouth, I held back whatever sound my surprise was trying to make. I wasn't sure if it was a cheer, because I had been right, Jimmy was a changed man, or a gasp to know that Nate had really been the target after all.

"Where is Nate?" the other man asked. A bad feeling build up in my gut. This was not going to go as well as Jimmy had hoped.

"He's safe," Jimmy countered. "And I want to keep it that way."

A smirk covered the other man's lips. "A deal's a deal."

I watched as Jimmy threw the patent to his feet. Even I had been so concentrated on the transaction, I didn't see where the other man had appeared to hit Jimmy over the head with a police baton.

He fell hard to the ground, and I found my instincts to run toward him. If I gave away my hiding spot, we both could die. Biting my lower lip, I stayed silent and watched as the man pulled out a cell phone. "We have a situation," he said into the phone as he started walking toward the back of the warehouse. I positioned myself better to stay hidden. "Nope. He didn't show."

As soon as the door closed behind them, I took off running to Jimmy. I shook him, praying he'd wake up. Tapping his face several times to do so as well. Then I saw it… The bomb.

"Jimmy! Get up!" I cried shaking him. There was no way I could get us both out of here in time if I had to drag him.

_My eyes fluttered open to the sound of my phone ringing and a familiar voice calling my name. All my hopes of getting out unscathed had failed as I realized that Anna had tagged along for the ride. Still, my head was thumping and I could get to my phone. "Anna, grab that," I instructed her. _

_Her brown eyes were so fearful that I almost felt guilty. But she obeyed. "Daddy?"she said as her voice cracked into the phone._

Nate's heart plumitted when he realized that Anna's voice was on the verge of tears. "Anna, listen. This is a setup. Give the phone to Jimmy," Nate commanded.

_The phone was suddenly forced at me and she drug me to my feet. I pushed her away violently, not caring that she hit the ground. "This is a setup," Nate's voiced called over the speaker. _

_A cough escaped from my throat as Anna struggled to her feet, grabbing at my arm and commanding me to follow her. Again I pushed her away, this time not as hard. "You think I don't know a setup when I see it?" I snapped at my son. "Latimer double-crossed me."_

_Tears were streaming down Anna's face as she grabbed my arm again. "Jimmy, we have to go. Please, just listen to me." _

_I ignored her as I tried to get my head on straight. Nate seemed just as paniced as he continued on the phone. "No-no-no-no-no. This is not about Latimer, all right? I need you to listen very carefully," he commanded. "I need you to focus."_

_His impatience made me even more irritable as I pushed Anna away again. "Oh, maybe this is one of those things that you were right about so many of the time…" I stuttered as Anna let out a sob of frustration. She was screaming at me to listen to her. But I kept pushing her away. "Things are more complicated than they seem."_

"_Jimmy please! Listen!" Anna begged, grabbing for my arm again, but this time I pushed her to the ground and glared at her. _

_Nate was struggling to remain calm, his voice rushed as he spoke. "Okay, just walk out of the building. Start walking out of the building right now. Get yourself and Anna out of there!" He sounded like he was begging, but that was something Nathan Ford didn't do. My boy never begged. Even when I was beating him, he never begged for me to stop. "Just start going, okay?"_

_Anna kept sobbing as she glanced passed me, trying to get me to come with her. She kept reaching for me to follow. A bomb. Twenty-five seconds still on it. I looked at the angel faced girl in front of me, doing her damnedest to save me. "Get out Anna!" I commanded, pushing her away again. "Go! Run!" _

_She looked like she wanted to fight, but I took a threatening step toward her. "Go!"_

_Finally, she nodded and turned toward the door. She ran with a certain elegance and grace that made me realize that may truly be an angel after all. I held the phone to my eat as I stared at the bomb. It was too late for me. I figure my life would be short, but a bomb was not what I had imagined. A bullet seemed more like my fate. "No, you stay out. Don't come in here," I told my son. "Listen to me. I'm your father."_

_I could see Anna working on the locked door. She was trying to open it with a bobby pin from her hair, but the dead bolt was heavy and the metal almost seemed too weak. Angels survive these type of things though. That's what I told myself. _

Nate's panic had Rosalie in soft sobs and Sophie in tears herself. "No-no-no! You have to get out of the building now! You and Anna! Okay?"

His voice was so fragile. He sounded like a pleading child almost. Parker looked at the other's afraid of what was happening in front of her. Was Nathan Ford going to break?

Jimmy's voice softened. _"It's the first time I've been able to do some of these things, the father things." _There another change in his voice. Tears. Tears were in his voice. _"Do more father things with your kids, Nathan. Don't mess it up like me." _

Nate couldn't take it. He was shaking, his voice was cracking. He was panicking. Tears rolled down his cheeks as Sophie held Rosalie tighter. "Listen! Listen! If you don't- Okay- We're pulling up right now! I need you to walk out of the building okay? Now!"

The door to the building opened. He sucked in a breath as he saw Anna sprinting toward the van. Nate threw open the van door and hurried out toward her. It was then that he realized Jimmy was not behind her.

_Tears ran down my face as I watched the timer continue its count down. "You just tell stories," I told my son. "Tell them stories about me."_

_Nate's voice was so desperate as he begged me to follow Anna. To run out to them. But I was an old man. I couldn't do this running game anymore. This was my last time. _

"_Tell them… tell them…" I choked on my own tears. "Tell them how much Jimmy Ford loves his son." _

*Anna*

I kept running, my feet hitting the concrete in a rhythm, my heart pounding in my ears. The explosion was nearly deafening as I threw myself into Nate's arms and he turned to protect me form the blast. The pressure pushed us several feet until I felt myself hit the concrete.

My ears were ringing, but other than that, Nate's body had protected me from any real damage. Hardison pulled me up and away from Nate, nearly throwing me to Parker and Sophie and Eliot ran to Nate. I couldn't hear anything, temporally deaf from the blast.

Parker was holding Rosalie and pulling me away as Hardison fought to keep Sophie back. Tears were rolling down her face as Hardison caught her. I could see her lips moving, calling to him, but I couldn't hear anything. Not even Rosalie's fearful sobs as Parker tried to gain my attention. I pushed away from all of them, not wanting to be touched. Placing both hands over my ears, I held my head, whispering prayers that I hadn't said since I was a child.

Eliot nearly carried Nate into the van as Sophie went to him. I couldn't hear a thing, but I knew she was trying to comfort him.

This was my fault. Nate would blame.

Parker grabbed my chin and forced me to look at her, ignoring the crying child on her hip. She studied me, her lips moving, but I heard nothing.

Tomorrow I would be to blame, if I wasn't already today. I could have save him, if I would have tried just a little bit harder or done things just a little differently. I could have saved him.

_**So, I'm thinking the next chapter will be fun. I mean, come on, CHAOS AND ANNA! Hahaha. Please review!**_


	62. Consequences

_**Okay, so the season finale is going to be probably around three chapters. If there is anything specific you guys would like to see, don't hesitate to request it. I don't make any promises, but I will consider it. **_

Nate sat staring into the eyes of the man who had killed his father. All that was separating them was a glass and Nate was thankful, otherwise he would have already lost control and killed the son of a bitch.

The man stretched in his orange jump suit and looked at Nate as though he pitied the poor broken soul before him. They had ten minutes and Nate had already thought of seven different ways of killing the man before he even had a chance to sit down.

"Hey," the man greeted, almost sounding as though they were old friends. Nate remained silent, glaring into the soul of the bastard. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Leaning forward, Nate's voice came out so sharp it could have scratched paint. "You missed," he hissed in reply.

The man shrugged and held up his thumb in his index finger as though pinching the air. "Yeah but _this _close." He chuckled and shrugged it off. "Well, what's it been? Three years and five months, four days? Is it special seeing your very first victim?"

Nate didn't grace him with a true answer. "You are going to regret this," he grumbled in reply.

The man folded his hands and looked at Nate patiently. "Well, Nate, all a man has in this world, all he has, are three things: his business, his possessions, and… his name. You take all that away, any man will kill."

Nate moved forward threateningly, but the man, who was safe behind the glass just chuckled. "Hey, hey. Really, man, I'm really… I'm not scare of you, but aren't you just a little bit scared of me?" A grin spread across his round face. "After all, I know all of your secrets."

Nate only glared and his voice lowered even more. "You tell Latimer my secrets?"

He shrugged. "Well, sure, I told him. I mean, after all I need help," he said referring to the prison he was confined to. "And well, Jack's always been someone who knows the value of information."

"What's this about, Victor?" Nate snapped, his patience growing thin.

"Well, Nate," the man said straightening up a little. "It's about consequences. You cannot walk this earth playing judge and jury with people's lives and not suffer consequences."

Nate was growing even more angry as he slammed his fist down on the table in front of him. "You brought this out on yourself! You tried to kill me and my team!"

The man snorted. "Your team? They're my team! I put them together and then I handed them to you!" he shook his head, not able to keep his cool any longer. "I did all the research, I know exactly who they are! I know their techniques, I know their contacts, and I know your team better than anyone. I certainly know them better than you!"

Nate couldn't respond. He just watched as the large man inhaled and exhaled, refolding his hands. "Sorry," he said as though he was exhausted. "So, what have you been doing for three years? Playing Robin Hood?" He didn't wait for a response. "Know what I've been doing? I've been preparing for this day."

Nate shook his head and pushed himself out of the seat. "Well, you'll have to do better," he told him.

This made the man roll his eyes. "Better than killing your father?" he teased. "I could take your two precious girls next time. Heard I nearly got one. Anna, right? Heard she's quite the looker, at least that's what I've heard. You wouldn't happen to have a picture of her on you. Sometimes it gets lonely in here." He was now trying to get a rise out of Nate and it was working. "Maybe I won't kill her. She's a people pleaser, right? Maybe I could get her to please me. And that little one, sorry, what's her name? I'm afraid I don't have much use for toddlers."

Nate threw down his fists and stared into the eyes of Victor Dubenich. The man who had formed his team and used his son to turn him into a man that broke the law. A manipulative, sadistic bastard that wanted to punish him and his team for what they once did to him.

"Do you remember when I said to you, next time we would meet, that I wouldn't be so nice?" Nate hissed dangerously. "Welcome to the next time."

Nate turned and walked away, never glancing back to check Dubenich's expression. He didn't care. He was going to destroy him. Sophie was waiting in the car for him as he walked out of the prison. She looked lost in her own thoughts as she half responded to Rosalie's babbles from the back seat.

As he opened the door, she jumped to being alert. "What you get?" she asked him nervously.

"Latimer's protecting him. We have to crack Latimer first to get a clear run at Dubenich," Nate explained, only confusing Sophie.

"What do you mean a clear run? He's already in jail," she reminded him. "What's left to do to him?"

He didn't respond. All he had to do was give her a look and she understood. She turned away from him, shaking her head. This was not her game, she did not approve. Shoving the key into the ignition, she grumbled slightly.

"He threatened Anna, Sophie. Anna and Rosalie," he told her as they pulled out of the parking lot. Sophie didn't look at him. She still didn't approve of what he was planning. She knew her family could be protected, that Eliot and Nate would be sure that both the girls stayed safe. "You going to pretend like that doesn't bother you?"

She didn't answer him, she just listened to the giggles of the toddler in the backseat and thought about the silence Anna had fallen into lately. Dubenich was a bad man, but she didn't justify killing.

Instead she kept driving, not even looking at Nate the entire way. She loved him, but she didn't tolerate murder.

*Anna*

I had reminded completely silent for forty-eight hours after the death of Jimmy Ford. Nate had kept a glass of bourbon or whisky or scotch, whatever alcohol he drank, in his hand since then as well. It had been over a week and we had barely spoken. His words to me were demands, instructions on how to do failed cons in order to enact revenge on a man I had never heard of. Yet this man was the reason my family was together.

We failed trying to break into Latimer's office; he had been ready for us. In fact, we barely got out. Parker even road on top of the van as we sped away.

When we arrived back at Nate's apartment, Sophie was sitting at the counter, Rosalie in front of her munching on cheerios as Nate slept on a cot in his floor where Phantom sat nearby. Papers were scattered across the hardwood along with empty bottles. We all looked to Sophie who just poured herself another cup of coffee and set Rose on the ground.

Hardison shook his head. "Well, he upped the crazy. I didn't think he could do it."

I didn't say anything, I didn't even nod my head. I just moved over to Sophie and stood behind her. For some reason I just felt safer when Sophie was between me and Nate. Even when he was sleeping.

Eliot didn't feel like playing games. "Nate!" he hissed, immediately pulling Nate from his slumber.

Suddenly he shifted up. "Verd Agra!" he reports as though he was never really sleeping. "It all started with Verd Agra, guys."

Hardison looked at Parker. "Was that the job with the potato?"

It took me a surprising amount strength to not add, "And the job Sophie punched you," to confirm his question.

Nate stood up, moving in front of the screens and the clear dry erase boards. "For three years, Victor Dubenich, from prison, had been telling Jack Latimer who we were gonna hit and when. And every time, he had profited from out work, except once! When he saved the CEO of Verd Agra, the one that we took down." He took this moment to study all of our expressions. "Why?"

Eliot took a seat. "Cause he needed someone in power at the company, somebody in his pocket."

I didn't care any longer. I had a feeling that this was another thing Nate would cut me out on. Instead of listening, I moved toward the door. They would catch me up later, if it was important enough. Nate spent most of his time talking around me anyway.

That was probably the real reason I couldn't stand to stay. Whenever Nate gave everyone instructions, he never directly addressed me anymore. Instead he would tell me what I was doing through what the others were going to need help with. He hadn't directly spoken to me since Jimmy Ford had passed.

That's why it didn't matter that I didn't stay to listen to the rest of the briefing. My job was probably superficial.

As I say down at the piano, I spread my hands across the keys. Something about them just felt so good. They were the calm of my inner storm.

I played for hours, until Sophie came down and sat down next to me. We also hadn't really spoken since Jimmy's death, but that was because I had avoided being alone with her almost as much as I had avoided being alone with Nate. Even Rose was nowhere to be seen to distract her if need be. Her full attention was on me and the piano, and I wished it wasn't.

I hadn't even heard the other members of the team leave, but I knew it was just me and her now. Nate was with Rosalie upstairs and I was not going to be able to escape.

"You going to stop running from me anytime soon?" she asked as my fingers continued their peaceful dance across the keys.

I shrugged, not wanting to speak.

Sophie only smiled. "You going to start speaking anytime soon?" she teased nudging me a bit.

Taking a deep breath, I shrugged again. I changed the tune I was playing to something more classical. Something that felt regularly rehearsed. I didn't have to think when I was playing pieces like those. They were just muscle memory now.

"You're a smart girl, Anna. Playing dumb is not attractive," she told me plainly as I finally ended the tune purposely on a sour chord.

"I'm fine, really," I told her turning toward her. "My ears are no longer ringing, I'm playing the piano, Rose is Rose, and we're all fine."

Sophie tried to level with me. "Anna…" she said softly. "You're going to have to eventually talk about what happened in there."

I didn't say a word, I just nodded. "Not now, okay?" I asked her softly, hanging my head and staring down at the black and white keys. "Eventually, I swear."

Sophie pressed a kiss into my hair, before lifting my chin and pushing my hair out of my face. "Go pack."

By the next day, all of our apartments were completely cleared out. The things of importance or value either packed into our suitcases or being shipped to storage facilities somewhere else in the country. We were sure to leave nothing behind.

Hardison and I had pretty well the same expression as we walked into our new hide out. "A Batcave!" we cheered in unison, making Sophie burst into a laugh as I bounced around the new area.

Nate rolled his eyes at us as a very funny looking guy that came in with Hardison nodded. "Yup, this is totally a Batcave." He shrugged. "Okay, you guys suck a little less now."

Then he looked at me and gave a low whistle. "Why hello, madam," he said adding a terrible French accent to the word. "You are not a familiar face, may I ask your name?"

I rolled my eyes as Eliot pulled me away. "Dumbass, meet Jailbait. Or Death," Eliot told him. The poor guy tried not to seem frightened but failed. "Don't touch her, Chaos."

The last time the team had a run in with Chaos, I was busy trying to deal with my brother dropping into town. It was Christmas. I knew enough about him to know I should not like him.

When Eliot turned and walked away I laughed at the nerd feeling a need to taking the smug off his face. He was even wearing a brain t-shirt. "What kind of name is Chaos?"

He opened his mouth, obviously ready for some nerdy retort, but his facial expression changed and he pointed at me. "How do you feel about dressing up as Princess Leia?"

I blinked at him. "What?"

Hardison shook his head. "Eliot was not kidding about the touch her and die thing," he muttered as I watched the picture of old Nate get carried by another Eliot sized man with a pony tail.

I looked at Sophie. "Who's that?" I asked. He was incredibly cute, but probably twice my age. Then again, I was only nine years away from twenty-five.

Sophie sighed dreamily. "Quinn. Beat up Eliot once a couple years ago, but damn he's a looker."

It was difficult not to laugh at Sophie's reaction, especially as Rosalie ran up behind Quinn and tugged on his pant leg. He looked down at the little person with surprise but bent down so he could be closer to her level. She pointed to the picture he was carrying a smiled. "Old daddy," she told him.

Quinn laughed at her and ruffled her hair and she went toddling back toward Hardison who sat her on his lap.

Sophie put her arms around my shoulders and hugged me to her. After the past few weeks, it was something that couldn't have been done enough. Suddenly I was getting pulled backwards by two oddly strong hands on my wrists.

I spun around to see the excited smile of Parker. "Archie! You should meet Anna!" she exclaims, not giving me a chance to get comfortable on my feet. "And Rosalie!"

A grey haired man wearing a white suit and walking with a can walked toward me, and Sophie was immediately on alert. Rosalie had crawled off Hardison's lap and hurried to the sound of her name. There were a lot of people coming around that Sophie didn't trust, and I could tell Archie was one of them.

She didn't stop us from socializing, she just made it obvious that she was there and watching. Archie was still reminiscing to Parker about the tunnels and I was getting drug along. "These were the old subway lines. I used them myself back in the sixties after a rather spectacular jewelry heist."

Chaos just stared at him. "Wow, you are super old. Thank you for the history lesson," Chaos told him. I couldn't tell if his voice was sarcastic or he was just always extremely obnoxious. "Maybe later, you can tell us about that one time you punched Hitler in the face." We were starting to lean toward insanely obnoxious.

Just then, Parker cut between them, to stand her ground on Archie's right side. Chaos purred at her. "Parker, still yummy! You and Anna in Battle Star Galactic cosplay would be spectacular."

Archie stepped up between us. Sophie just stayed back watching humorously while the others seemed to have not noticed the exchange at all. It took me a second to notice that Archie's cane was being held to the underside of Chaos's jaw. "I own two canes," Archie told him coldly. "One with a taser, capable of delivering 10,000 volts. The other extends a six-inch stiletto blade."

I looked over to Parker to see a cruel smile holding on her lips. Sophie's arms were crossed and her expression firm as she Chaos stared at Archie. "Which one is…" he swallowed hard, "…is this one?"

Archie chuckled dryly. "I don't seem to remember," he told him, before lowering his voice into a hiss. "I am super old."

Sophie finally stepped forward and pushed the cane away from Chaos. "Alright Archie, we need him. Regrettably," she told him giving Chaos a death glare to be sure she wasn't doing this for his sake. Just to be sure he understood, Sophie took a step closer to him, turning slightly seductive as she did so. She stood about the same height as Chaos, but her posture gave her the higher ground. Slowly, she ran her finger up his arm. "But if you touch my girls," she said, her voice dangerous, contradicting her flirtatious body language, "I'm not standing in the way of anyone who wants to have a run at you."

Chaos swallowed hard as Sophie walked away from him, seemingly satisfied that Archie would do no harm to me. Chaos couldn't move, he just stood in the same place Sophie had left him. Sometimes the intimidation techniques of a grifter were more effective than your class B hitter.

Turning to Archie, my eyes lit up. I was still on his earlier comment. "You mean the Ratledge Burnout Heist in 1967? The heist that brought Boston to its knees?" I gasped. Archie turned to me, pleased to have an admirer. "That was you?"

Rosalie was standing beside up, looking up at us with much interest. "You must be Anna. I've only heard rumors of you," he told me with a brilliant smile. "The best thieves are always rumors."

My cheeks lit up at the compliment. "I can't take all the credit, Parker and the others have taught me a lot since I came here."

Parker nodded. "She can get into safes now, avoid lasers, she just can't open that one lock," Parker said referring to the broken one that I had nearly thrown out the window in frustration time and time again.

Archie smiled a little. "The one with the broken key hole?" he asked earning a surprised look from myself. He only nodded. "Parker couldn't get it forever either. It's more psychological than anything else."

With that, he looked down at Rosalie and started talking to her. She'd giggle and reply with short one word answers or go into a string of incomprehensible two year old babble. But my attention had gone elsewhere. Nate was putting up his boards, standing back, muttering to himself. I wanted to check on him, but I knew I was not his favorite person at the moment.

We all gathered for the briefing. I sat next to Sophie as the hackers, hitters, and thieves were also grouped off in pairs of twos. Rosalie was napping on a cot nearby, worn out from the excitement of the day. It took all of us on alert to be sure she didn't decide to go exploring the tunnels.

"Okay, Latimer's in the middle of a deal with the Chinese investors for control over the dam and the network of facilities that it serves," Hardison explained.

Chaos jumped it. "But, according to federal land us laws, he must maintain these facilities in proper working order, or he forfeits control."

Eliot shakes his head and looks back at the board. "Not enough of us to take that down."

"Network," Hardison explains. "Network means they're connected. It's like hacking any other network. We just find the weak spot. Then-"

Chaos jumped in, his voice as obnoxious as ever. "We apply maximum pressure to create maximum _chaos._"

I rolled my eyes and Quinn didn't even move. "Can I hit him?" he asked Eliot.

Eliot grunted. "Which one?"

Quinn just shrugged. "Either one."

Immediately Eliot turned to Sophie. "See? It's not just me."

I could tell Sophie was trying not to smile, but it was failing miserably. She loved her odd, quirky family all too much and sometimes other criminals brought out the best in them, especially their personalities.

Nate cut everyone off. "Here's our problem. Hardison signs on to any computer on Latimer's network, triggers alarms. Parker goes anywhere near anything valuable, alarms. Eliot shows his face anywhere, a lot of alarms. Sophie talks to anyone Latimer knows, and I bet Dubenich will personally fall out of the sky."

We all exchange looks, but I was still waiting on my name. "That is why we need you. Buy you are gonna follow my people's lead. And I want to make something very clear." Nate looked into each one of our eyes. "Nobody goes near Victor Dubenich. He is mine." Then he looked at Sophie, his eyes particularly harsh. "Understood?"

I stood up and gave him an odd look. "I don't understand," I said gaining an alarming look from the others. "Does Latimer or Dubenich have my name or my picture?"

Nate looked unwilling to answer that, so instead he just turned around and ignored me. I crossed my arms and shook my head in disbelief. "They don't do they? Why aren't you putting me on this?"

Nate didn't answer, he just kept his back to me. "Why aren't you putting me on this?" I repeated, louder this time. Sophie put her hand out to calm me, but I shrugged it off. My anger was starting to show and I didn't care that Rose was sleeping or that it wasn't just my team in the room. "Nate, why aren't you putting me on this job when you know I can get in?"

Nate didn't respond. He kept ignoring me. Sophie was pulling my arm to get me to sit down, but I kept pushed her hand away.

Nate couldn't look at the girl who was asking him the same question over and over again. Anger was burning in his stomach, fueled with alcohol. Finally he spun around to look at the small sixteen year old girl demanding an answer from him. He was growing more and more angry as he looked at har. Her curly, unruly hair falling around her shoulders, her dark-brown, nearly black, eyes studying every move he made.

"Why aren't you letting me help?" she asked. Her voice was mostly confusion and demand for a reason, but he could only feel his own anger rising up in him.

"Yeah, sure, you can get in," Nate hissed moving toward her so fast that it alarmed everyone in the room. Sophie immediately stood up but even she didn't know what to expect out of him. "But you seem to only be able to get yourself out!"

Nate could see the damage his words had done to the girl, but he didn't care. He still had a lot more he wanted to say. "Understand why I do the planning, Anna? Understand why I'm in charge?" he snapped slamming his hands down on the table in front of her, effectively making her jump. "I make sure everyone gets out. People we care about don't die when I make decisions!"

"Nate!" Sophie yelled at him, defending Anna. She was always defending Anna. It only made him angrier.

"You need to grow up, kid! You need to realize actions have consequences!" At the time, he didn't even realize he was nearly quoting Dubenich. "Some things I can't fix! This is one of them."

Anna's hurt eyes turned to anger in a flash. He had seen it happen before. He had pushed her until something inside of her broke. She pushed off the table and moved around to him where it was just him and her. She was about half a foot shorter than him, but she had her fight ready. "Do you honestly think I just sat in there, trying to get myself out of that warehouse before it blew up? I tried to get him out!"

The sound of Rose's frightened sobs filled the tunnels. Sophie went to comfort her. Eliot and Quinn were both on their feet, sensing the extreme hostility. Chaos watched with amusement while Parker, Archie and Hardison were struggling with themselves about what to do.

"You tried? I've seen you manipulate people to a literal death but you couldn't get an old man out of a warehouse?" Nate shot back. "You obviously weren't trying that hard."

Rose was sniffling, and Sophie was beside herself. "Nate, stop!" she begged seeing all the work they had done to get Anna to trust them beginning to shatter.

"He wouldn't let me! Every time I grabbed his arm and tried to get him to come with me he'd push me away! He knew he was going to die going in there!" Anna shouted back at him, her words desperate to be understood. "He knew he was going to die and that was okay because he was trying to protect you!"

Nate snorted at her and rolled his eyes. "You think you know everything, Anna, you don't always know people like you think you do."

Her eyes narrowed. "You think I don't know that he beat you, that he abused you? Think I couldn't see how Jimmy Ford never showed his son affection? That he would purposely break you down? I know you, I know you a lot better than you think."

Anna's words were cutting deeper, but he wasn't going to give up. "You idknow my father!" Nate hissed. "He wanted to live!"

"No! Maybe you don't know your father!"

The sound of the slap echoed through the cave as Anna stood there. Her hand covering her cheek, her eyes watering and he wasn't sure if it was from the sting or from her emotions. As ready as Eliot and Quinn were to move before, they stood frozen. Sophie's freehand was covering her mouth as Rosalie's chin quivered.

Parker took a step, but Archie held out his arm to stop her. Anna finally looked up and stared Nate directly in the eye. "There he is."

With that she turned and walked away. Sophie just stared at Nate as Rosalie called to her sister. "Nana?" she called, the tears still in her voice. "Nana?"

Nate had turned into his father. Blinded by his anger and alcohol he had struck his own child who was just trying to talk sense into him. His hand was tingling from the connection and by the look on the rest of the team's faces he wasn't sure if they were more hurt or angry. His eyes connected with Sophie's and all she could do was shake her head in pain and disappointment.

What had he done?

_**That moment when everyone in the room knows Nate screwed up. How do you think the team will react?**_


	63. Music

_**This was so hard to write it's not funny. But I totally spent time writing this instead of studying for my final at 10 tomorrow morning! So anyway. I hope you enjoy!**_

"Nate," Eliot grumbled, taking a threatening step forward, but Sophie held up her hand to stop him. Rosalie was crying silent tears with her thumb in her mouth into Sophie's neck and Nate just stared off toward where Anna had headed off to.

Sophie knew what happened. She had seen it coming for a while. This was not entirely Nate's fault. No, he shouldn't have hit her, but Anna was purposely pushing him to a breaking point. She was using her grifting skills to make him punish her. She was so torn up about Jimmy's death and she blamed Nate's pain on herself.

The anger Nate had toward Anna was something that he felt guilty for having. He couldn't look at her for fear he would give away how much he wished she would've gotten Jimmy out of that warehouse. The fear and the guilt kept him from being able to tell her that he was just glad that she survived, that he lost his dad but he didn't lose his daughter.

Sophie knew their emotions better than they did. Nate was never good at grasping emotions and Anna was only good at everyone else's, she had the classic grifter syndrome.

Parker was glaring at Nate in a way that Sophie knew was going to be difficult to fix, just like Eliot and Hardison. Not to mention Anna's trust that may have just been shattered as well. She wanted to scream. This was her family!

In a single moment, Nate had lost control of his team and it had been passed to her. Every person in the room, even Nate now, was looking at her for some sort of instruction. She was at a loss for words at first, but only for a moment.

Slowly she turned toward Quinn. "I think you all should go get some lunch," she told him, knowing that they'd take the hint.

Except, Chaos didn't. "Oh, and miss the show?" he quipped propping his feet up on the desk and leaning back in his chair. "I think not."

Quinn grabbed Chaos by the ear and followed Archie toward the tunnel exit. "Call when you need us," he hollered over his shoulder.

Nate's footsteps were barely heard as he escaped toward another opening of the tunnel. He needed space to think and clear his head, something he wasn't going to be able to do if he was standing in a room full of people that wanted his head on a platter.

The others watched him go, not stopping him. Finally, Sophie looked at Eliot. "Find Anna, talk to her, or better yet," Sophie tilted her head slightly, still in the thought, "let her talk to you."

Eliot glared at her. "What? Why me?"

Sophie's look silenced his argument. "She trusts you to be honest with her and she'll be honest with you in return."

It was true. Eliot was the only one who forced Anna into the harsh realities. He never sugar coded things with her and in return she never sugar coded things with him. Parker and her spoke like children and Sophie was sure that her presence would not be of any benefit and Hardison seemed to force Anna to see things his way. Plus, Sophie couldn't go because she had to deal with Nate first. Right now, Anna needed to be able to speak the cold hard truth to someone who would listen.

Finally, Eliot nodded and headed followed in the direction Anna had disappeared into. Sophie took a deep breath and looked at Parker. "Do not be angry at Nate," she said softly moving toward the blonde thief that looked like she was in physical pain. "I know you don't understand, but you can't be angry at Nate."

Parker shook her head. "He hit her, he hurt her!" she told Sophie as though she must have missed it.

Hardison stood up as well. "You can't pretend like you didn't see that, Sophie!"

Sophie bit her lip. "Hardison, Parker, please. What happened was a lot of Anna's doing. Just trust me when I say this." Her words were not very effective on Parker.

Crossing her arms stubbornly, Parker shifted away from Sophie. The motion hurt more than Sophie wanted to admit. She thought Sophie was taking Nate's side and wasn't protecting Anna like Parker thought she should.

"Parker, listen," Sophie reached out to her and she was thankful Parker didn't move away. "Anna is hurt and so it Nate. Sometimes when people are hurt, they want other people to hurt, or to hurt them."

Parker didn't understand, but she could see the desperate look on Sophie's face. "If Anna forgives Nate, I'll forgive Nate," Parker said finally, earning an agreeing nod from Hardison.

Sophie looked toward the direction Nate went and knew she could not take Rosalie with her when she confronted him. She expected more yelling and maybe even name calling, something the toddler did not need to be a witness to. Attempting to loosen the grip the child had on her, Rosalie only clung tighter, whining as Sophie attempted to get free.

"Come on, Rose, go to Hardison," Sophie coaxed the girl who was obviously cranky and a little distraught brought on by the day's events and the interrupted nap.

"No, no, no. Momma!" she argued back. It was times like these that Rosalie would only ever go to Anna, Nate, or herself. Every once in a while Eliot could calm her down, but Rosalie was not having any of it today. Finally, Sophie got her off and handed the child that was near a tantrum over to Hardison who tried to sooth her. Sophie talked to her until she was calming down, knowing that it would only be a matter of minutes before the girl fell asleep.

Sophie began to realize this was going to be a day from hell.

*Anna*

I sat with chin on my knees and my arms wrapped around my legs. I was tucked into a small hole in the wall and at the moment I didn't even care that there very well may have been a spider crawling up my arm. Suddenly two big hands wrapped around my ankles and pulled me forward and I let out a surprised scream as I slid out of the hole by my feet and stared into the big blue eyes of Eliot Spencer.

"I don't want to talk right now," I told him, kicking his hands away from my feet and standing up. Dust was covering me, but I didn't care, I just wanted to be left alone.

"If you're trying to hide, it's best not to hum," Eliot grumbled crossing his arms, I may have jammed his finger in the whole kicking process.

Shaking my head, I gave him an odd look. "What are you talking about? I wasn't humming," I countered, crossing my arms.

Eliot rolled his eyes. "You always hum when you're upset. You hum the same song even."

I scoffed at him. "No I don't."

"Yes. You do."

"_No_ I _don't._"

Eliot gave me an incredulous look. "Yes you do! It's that same song you sing to Rose! Sophie sings it to you a lot when you fall asleep on her. Parker's even picked it up." Raising my eyebrow, I watched him huff. _"Rain drops on roses and whispers on kittens," _he sang it softly, glancing behind him to be sure no one was listening. _"Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens. Brown paper packages tied up with strings. These are a few of my favorite things."_

He soft country voice was charming when added to such a classic song. The fact that he was singing it made me smile even bigger though. Suddenly his eyes turned angry. "You knew what song I was talking about! You just made me sing it."

I shrugged a little and walked deeper into the tunnel. Truthfully, I hadn't known I was humming it though. Eliot grabbed my arm and pulled me back. "You have to stop that. That is not what teams do."

His harsh, angry tone took me by surprise as I stumbled back toward him. "What?"

"You don't manipulate your own team. That what you did to Nate in there wasn't it? You wanted him to break, you wanted him to hit you. It gave you an excuse to be mad," Eliot shot at me.

His words were true. My manipulative side had shown when I pushed Nate, but I didn't even hardly know what I was doing until I had already pushed too hard. "He was supposed to blame me!" I told Eliot taking a fierce step toward me. "He wouldn't look at me. He already blamed me, I just made him say it. I needed to hear it too!"

Eliot's facial expression did not give away his alarm to my actions and words, but the fact his hand had fallen away from me proved that he was taken back. I turned away from him and looked into the dark walls of the cave.

"If I would have tried a little harder, if my mind would have worked more clearly in those moment we were in that warehouse, I could have gotten him out," I whispered. These were the same words I had told Nate he was wrong to, but it was different when my own mind had proved its capabilities. "Sophie would have gotten him out. Hardison would have gotten him out. You, Parker, Nate, would have gotten him out if you were in there with him."

Eliot shrugged. "Maybe we would have," he said finally, making my heart drop even more. "But we could never know that. Maybe Jimmy Ford was meant to die in there." Eliot took a step closer to me and turned me to face him. "But the thing is, none of us saw him leave. If it wasn't for you, Jimmy would have woken up alone."

My heart was in my throat and I was trying not to cry. "I really tried to save him," I whispered to Eliot.

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into hug. My hands were fist as the wrapped around him and I dug my face into his shirt. Gently, he petted my dark curls and I let out my first sob. "There's not a doubt in my mind, pipsqueak."

"I just wanted Nate to be as angry as I am at myself. I knew he had to be at least a little angry, I knew he had to doubt me some. I just-" My tears were flowing and Eliot kept holding me.

"Jimmy was his dad, and he's your dad. Grief does some mad, messed up things, and sometimes it makes you hurt people that you love," he told me continuing to comfort me. "But I tell you what, you sure do a hell of a job of keeping Sophie on her toes. She's doing damage control."

I gave him a funny look. "I would say you're helping."

He shrugged and I could tell he was smiling. "Just a bit. You're a bit easier to talk to than Nate."

Sophie followed Nate into the tunnels and saw him spinning the barrel of the revolver. He had held his father's gun like it was the last piece of Jimmy left in the world. Maybe it was, but Jimmy was not the type of man you would want around forever.

She took a seat next to him and waited for him to speak. He wouldn't ignore her forever and he knew she would not leave until she got something out of him. Finally, he tossed the revolver to the side and hung his head, running a frustrated hand through his hair. "I can't believe I hit her."

Six words, but it sounded like one of the hardest things he had ever said. Frankly, Sophie didn't have much comment on that. As clever as Anna was, Nate should have been able to control himself. "Neither can I," Sophie replied, not completely hiding the edge in his voice. "I can't believe you let her play you like that. You let her take the blame-"

"All it was, all those words were, they were just tiny little thoughts in the back of my mind. _Tiny_," Nate tried to explain, his voice so completely frustrated that he couldn't keep the tears out of it. "Never, did I expect them to actually come out of my mouth, especially at her!"

Sophie snorted. "You're kidding. Those are the thoughts that have kept you two from looking in each other's direction since it happened. You've barely spoken, you didn't speak at all for two days! She's a broken child and I'm just worried that all the work we've done has been demolished!"

Nate had the same worry. He knew Anna. He knew that once she passed up the pain and went to anger it was like a brick being added to the wall around her heart. She had grown tremendously since she first came. When she was first with them, she wouldn't even tell anyone where she was living. It was some burned down bar that Parker eventually followed her to and insisted on someone fixing. Sophie offered her place immediately, but they all knew Anna would refuse. She was fearful of them, untrusting. Even Sophie, who she seemed to immediately flock to, she was leery of at first.

Then the secret of her musical abilities came out along with his promise of only drinking coke when she played. A promise that he didn't completely keep. It hurt her at first, but much like Sophie, she grew to accept his alcoholism.

The mystery of the severity of her abuse and how much was taken from her still hangs in the air sometimes, but she always pushed past it. She always keeps going. She was resilient.

At times, Nate wondered when he first fell in love with the girl, but that was almost like asking when he first fell in love with Sophie. It was like it had always been there, as much as he tried to push it away and ignore it, it was always right there, knocking on his door with a glass of coke and new sheet music.

Those big brown eyes saw everything and they were not short on giving love away, but at times he wondered how close she kept other people's love to her heart. Sophie's was probably the closest. She spent large amounts of days working to get the girl to trust her, loving her unconditionally like a mother should. Parker may have been next, after all they shared the same sort of brokenness that no one but them could understand.

What did Parker think of him right now? She may never forgive him. She was the first out of the bunch he had adopted. Somehow she had leaped over his own walls around his heart and made herself comfortable. Now, hitting the one person she connects to most, he feared he may have lost her too.

Then Eliot. Eliot probably hated him. He had hurt something so sweet and broken.

Hardison, he looked up to Nate more than anyone else in the world, maybe even Anna, and he had stooped to a level no one should ever stoop. He hurt his child.

Before Sophie knew what was happening, Nate was fighting back the tears that were leaking through his eyelids. "I swore, when Sam was born, that I would never become my father. I would never hurt him. That I wouldn't hurt any of my kids the way he had hurt me."

Sophie's heart was breaking as she reached out to him, covering her hand with his as he refused to look at her. He felt unworthy of her pity. He felt unworthy of her love. "What if I had hit Parker, or you, or Rosalie?"

Sophie shushed him, moving closer to him and caressing his cheek. "You would never."

"That's what I thought about Anna," he cried.

Sophie couldn't take it any longer. She moved him into her arms and held him as he cried.

*Anna*

I couldn't stop myself. I ran toward Nate. Neither of them had noticed me until I fell into them. "Nate please don't cry," I begged, new tears streaming from my eyes.

It was too late, tears were going and there was not a single dry eye to be seen. "Anna, I'm sorry," he whispered as he petted my hair and I buried my face in his shirt.

"Please, no," I begged him. "Let's forget about it. Please."

No one outwardly argued, but I knew Nate would not forgive himself for this any time soon, but I wanted to be sure that he knew I forgave him.

Pulling away, I forced a smile through teary eyes. "Wanna hear something I've been working on?" I asked him, my eyes going back to their playful nature.

Everyone gathered in the main part of the cave. I had managed to get an electric keyboard into the cave out of a desperate need for playing. No one really argued because it calmed my nerves. I took a seat on the foldable chair and looked around at everyone in the room. Nate was holding Rosalie as she rested her head against his chest and her thumb was still in her mouth. Sophie leaned against him, their fingers intertwined as the both sat on the floor. Hardison and Parker sat close to each other and Eliot stayed close to me.

Spreading my fingers out over the keys I grimaced a little. Nothing could ever replace the sound of a real piano, but this would have to do for the moment.

Sophie's face told me she immediately recognized the tune, but I knew she would be in for a surprise.

"_Sophie in dresses and Alec on coms_

_Parker climbing building and Rose calling Mom_

_Nate always saying he had a plan B_

_These are some things that simply make my team."_

Everyone's face had lit up at the first verse, even Eliot was smiling. Nate wasn't quite to a smiling yet, but I hoped that was what I saw underneath the dry exterior.

"_Eliot throwing punches and Anna picking fights_

_Sophie and Nate closing up for the night_

_Hardison saying he's always unseen_

_These are some things that simply make my team."_

Parker was swaying now, nudging Hardison with excitement. Rosalie was giggling as she was passed to Sophie. Sophie leaned forward and whispered something to the toddler that made her nod with delight.

"_When the con fails_

_When the mark runs_

_And things are falling flat_

_I always remember we've still got plan M_

_And I am okay with that."_

I ended the song and looked out again, only to notice Nate had disappeared. Everyone read my expression and noticed how quickly it had changed. Sophie jumped up, moving toward me, noticing Nate's absence before the others. "He'll be back, he just needed some air," she assured me.

I saw the exchange of glances at Eliot for help. "Hey, what do you say you play that again, and I'll do harmony?" Eliot offered, clearly out of desperation.

But I just shook my head and stood up. Parker began to ask a question, but Hardison shushed her as I headed toward the most used exit of the cave. I looked to see Nate standing there. His eyes teary and not willing to turn around.

It was official. After years of other people breaking me, I had assisted in the breaking of someone. The man who cared about me most in the world. Moving closer to him, I wrapped my arms around him and felt his arm pull me tighter into him.

Have you ever seen your father cry? That terrible, awful moment when the pain that has been building up, that has kept him from crying for days implodes. The moment when the numbness breaks away and tears fall from his eyes and land in droplets on his shirt. You can do nothing to comfort him as regret, pain, self-loathing fight to take over his expression.

The moment when a man realizes he has become his father and you helped him get there.

_**Anddddd scene. Okay. I'm a little self conscious about this one so please let me know what you think! **_


	64. A Love Story

_**This chapter came to me and I wasn't sure how I was going to write it at first. I wanted to add a bit of playfulness to lighten up the dreary atmosphere I have created, so there's a bit of fluff as well as my own take on a scene from (I think) season 1. **_

Anna was in her spandex shorts and tank top as Quinn stood in front of her. They both opened their stances to spar. This was only because Quinn shot off his mouth about some of his pupils and Eliot had to show him what kind of teacher he was. Everyone could tell Quinn did not know what he was getting himself into with the teenage girl in front of him.

As Eliot laid down the rules both of them nodded. Nothing made Anna happier than being underestimated by an opponent. Rosalie was sitting in Nate's lap as they all watched, most knowing that Quinn was in for a very rude awakening.

Parker took a seat and grinned around the table at the people preparing to watch the fight. "Okay, hundred bucks gets you in. I bet Anna takes Quinn down in under two minutes," she said tossing a hundred on the table.

Hardison shook his head. "Anna's good, but Quinn's taken down Eliot. He takes her down in under two minutes." Another hundred was added to the plate.

Sophie studied the two fighters. "Anna takes Quinn down in under four minutes. He's going to realize what he's up against pretty fast, but Anna's quick and she knows how to hit them where it hurts." She added two hundred dollar bills to the center of the table and looked at Nate.

He tossed two more hundreds in. "Quinn takes Anna down in under five minutes. Anna's good, but Hardison's right, Quinn has beat Eliot."

Sophie and Parker shook their heads at him. "You of all people should know better than to underestimate Anna," Sophie teased him lightly. "She will be very upset to know you bet against her."

Leaning forward Sophie pressed a kiss to his cheek. It was meant to tease him even more, but it also seemed to relax him a little. They had already completed polluting the damn with clams and the heist was going to be later tonight. Nate had even agreed to let Archie take Anna with them. She had a feeling that Parker had something to do with it all, but Sophie was not complaining.

They needed some relaxation and watching Quinn and Anna beat the snot out of each other sounded like a good plan. Plus Sophie and Nate would be sure it didn't get to far and make Eliot blow the whistle.

Archie and Chaos watched with interest as the groups placed bets. Finally, Chaos jumped in. "Quinn takes out Anna before she can even touch him," he adds placing money on the table as well.

Archie remained silent. He knew better than to underestimate, or overestimate, anyone. Especially a tiny hundred pound girl. He'd had seen the damage Parker was capable of, and Anna was probably no exception.

Eliot glanced back at the people sitting on the table before turning his attention to the two fighters. "First one down for ten seconds or whoever taps out. And only fair fighting," Eliot looked between the two of them. Anna nodded with agreement, successfully hiding the grin she felt.

Quinn on the other hand just looked at Eliot. "Are you serious? I can't beat up a kid? Especially a girl!"

Eliot just smiled and shook his head. "Go!"

The sound of Parker's stop watch kicked off with the fight. Anna and Quinn stood just out of arm's distance for a long moment before Chaos jumped in. "Come on, don't just stand there! I wanna-"

Using the distraction to her advantage, Anna struck first as Quinn had glanced to the table. He stumbled back in surprise but didn't lose his footing. The shock registered on his face as he looked back to the girl. Now the grin was impossible to hide as it took over her face.

"Damn it," Quinn muttered as Anna struck again. She moved toward him gracefully. Two shots toward the head, one toward the stomach. Quinn narrowly dodged all of them, not willing to take his eyes off the girl again. She was fast and silent. But still, he didn't see the spin kick that got him in the stomach.

Chaos had already lost the bed and it looked like Parker and Hardison were both going to lose too. Eliot had joined them at the table and Nate looked over Rosalie's head at him. "I didn't know you all had been working on the kicks."

Eliot shrugged. "She picked them up and I just corrected them for her. You can tell she used to dance; she tries to point her toes with everything."

Sophie once again noted this. She knew Anna used to dance, but now she was determined to know just how much. The girl's grace was excellent, but dancing was another thing she tried to keep a secret. There was a hiss from Anna as she received her first blow that pulled Sophie back toward the fight.

The blow Anna caught must have been a harsh one, because even Quinn looked apologetic to see Anna doubled over. Her hand was covering a spot on her abdomen, one the other's immediately realized what the incision from her surgery. They said it would be tender for a while, and a blow to the stomach didn't help.

"You okay, Ans?" Eliot called first, already back on his feet.

She hissed, but nodded. "Good, just a little tender."

Finally she straightened up and nodded at Quinn. Quinn looked hesitant, but pleased. He moved toward her, throwing two hard punches. Anna dodged one, but caught his fist with the second. Her legs swept his out from under him. He fell hard and Anna didn't give him a chance to get up. She wrapped her legs around his neck and held his arm up.

Finally, he tapped out.

Sophie jumped up in victory and collected the money. "See? Anna never lets her mum down!" Sophie cheered, giving Nate a look like _how could you seriously doubt Anna_ before laying down another hundred. "Same as last time, who's in?"

*Anna*

I lost two out of five, but I was still the overall winner. Quinn took the fight pretty well, making the comment that he wouldn't be so easy on me next time. Personally I hoped that I would never have to be on the other side of a real Quinn fight. Just like Eliot, he didn't use his full strength when sparring with me, but if we were on the opposite sides of something I had a feeling things would be a lot different. Either way, I had impressed them all.

Archie looked at me as I pulled my catering clothes over my spandex. "You remind me a lot of Parker you know?"

Smiling, I nodded. "I hear things like that a lot," I told him fixing the tie I was wearing.

"But you also remind me of, what do you call her, Sophie?" I gave him an odd look, one in which he chuckled at. "When I knew her, she went by the name of Jenny. She's woman that really captivates." He stopped for a moment and had a thoughtful look on his face. "When I first saw her, nearly two decades ago, she was young and fearless, perhaps even a little cocky. It wasn't until years later that I had seen her again. The playful glint in her eyes had nearly died and she looked like a person drowning."

Turning toward me he gave me a sad smile. "People say grifting is a skill that you either have or you don't. Only the strongest survive it. I believe I saw her in the moment where she had to decide whether or not she could be a grifter.

"My paths crossed with her many times over the years, but I made sure she never saw me. Thieves and grifters do not mix well. Still, it was interesting to watch her grow. I came across a lot of people in the business that I occasionally watched but she was one of the most interesting. In fact, I believe I had the honor of watching the love between her and Nathan unfold."

He had my full attention as we stood in the cave, waiting for Parker to appear. The others were off doing their own thing and Archie was going to go over the plan with us. He smiled at me, already knowing that this was my family and I loved hearing as much as possible on them. I knew their pasts separately, but Sophie and Nate's life together was vague, at least before the team. Eliot once told me that when the team was first put together, Nate sought out Sophie for help when they needed it. The chemistry was already there and it was like watching someone try and hold magnets apart.

"Will you tell me about it?" I asked him softly, almost worried that the other's would hear of my sinful curiosity.

Archie put his arm around my shoulder and walked with me deeper into the cave. "Your mother had just stolen a painting, one that I had planned on stealing away from her before the night was over, and was cutting it from the frame. I was sitting in the air ducts above her, this was back when I could still do such things, waiting for the right time when your father kicked open the door. Your mother grabbed her gun off the fireplace and shot him in the shoulder. I remember being so shocked that I nearly gave away my hiding place."

My jaw dropped. "Mom _shot _him?"

He chuckled and we kept walking. "She grabbed the frame and was about to run when your father shot her in the back. She turned around and I remember not being able to tell if she was angry or hurt by his actions, or maybe it was the physical pain that she had written on her face. She called him and wanker as she turned back around to him, clutching her shoulder. There was a long moment of silence and then they both started laughing. I thought how crazy these two were for laughing with each other after shooting each other, but they did. Nathan walked toward her and checked her wound as she checked. They were on opposite shoulders and both seemed to be doing alright. They retrieved gauzes from the bathroom and spent the next several hours laughing and talking. Your mother kept reminding him how ungentlemanly it was to shook a woman in the back and your father kept telling her that it wasn't very lady like to carry a gun. I sat there waiting for hour for them to leave, but eventually I decided that I was bored and could live without the painting."

I looked at him in disbelief. "They shot each other and just sat there laughing and talking? They didn't go to the hospital or anything?"

This didn't really sound like the parents I knew. Yeah, I could maybe see them shooting each other, even now at times, but laughing about it as they doctored each other up seemed completely absurd.

Archie laughed. "You know. We are always the people we used to be, no matter how much things change us, the major pieces that are formed from love, the love of a child or the love of partner, keeps us who we will always be. Losing someone we love does change us too, but there's enough love around here that I'm sure your father will go back to being the person he was before his father died."

Archie placed his hand on my shoulder and patted it. He was a very wise man and perhaps he saw what he did for Parker repeating itself with me. It wasn't until a few months later that I learned he had only recently lost his wife before this conversation. That my team, our family, had saved him from a dark place he didn't realize he was going.

Sometimes my family saved people just by being a family. Love was apparently contagious and apparently Cupid used bullets instead of arrows now and then.

Sophie walked over to Nate as Archie, Chaos, Hardison, Parker and Anna headed toward the entrance of the cave. Rosalie was playing with Eliot and Sophie wished she had a camera to blackmail him with all the funny faces he was making her giggle with. Nate was spinning the barrel of his father's revolver again as she sat down next to him.

He was choosing not to acknowledge her. He hoped it would make her go away, but he knew it wouldn't. Still, he began to load the gun in his hands.

"Your father's gun," Sophie said almost as though she was just making conversation. When he didn't reply she just took a step closer to him. "I don't have a lot of rules in this world. Three, actually. Don't count the money til after the con, know when to walk away from a con-"

Nate raised his eyebrows and finally looked over at her. "'The Gambler'? You're basing your life philosophy on a Kenny Rogers song?"

She chose to ignore that. "And don't get involved with a murderer," she added coldly.

Nate grunted. "Eliot's killed."

Sophie inhaled and nodded. "Yeah," she smacked her lips at him though. "You're too bright for me to dignify that with a response, Nathan."

He knew he was in trouble when she used his full name. She crossed her arm and turned to walk away. She was giving up on him. He knew the tale-tale signs. He had seen them before when he began drinking again. But he also remembered what she said to him that day she had broken him out of prison and got him back. She wasn't going to save him anymore. _You're a thief now. Save yourself._

"Aren't you going to take the gun?" he asked her, almost hoping that she would save him. That she would be the hero this time.

Sophie turned around and shrugged. "Like I said, you're bright. You'd just find another."

The argument was thought to be over as she turned back around, but he heard a sound that nearly ripped his heart out. Was Sophie sniffling.

He looked up at her, surprised by the sound of her broken heart. She was not sobbing, but crying tears of mourning. "But if you kill them, we're gone," Sophie told him, not turning around to look him in the eye. "Rosalie, Anna, and I, we're gone. The other's can stay if they wish but I will not have my girls live with a murderous father. Do you understand me?"

Finally she glanced over her shoulder at him. "I hope whatever you feel when you pull that trigger is enough for you."

And with that, she left him to his thoughts and what terrible thoughts they were.

_**The Nate/Sophie Paris scene was something I have wanted to hit for a while. Just wanted to imagine Anna realizing that her parents have actually shot each other before. But what did you guys think of this chapter? Next chapter: Maggie meets Rosalie! And Maggie also finds out about Nate slapping Anna! **_


	65. Who Are We

_**So, this chapter is long and has quite a few elements, but overall, I really think you all will be happy with it. Next chapter should be the final one for this episode, but then again I didn't expect this episode to be more than five chapters either. I'd also like to thank you. I feel like I've really grown as a writer since I have started writing this and you're reviews are a lot of what have motivated me. **_

All we were supposed to do was drug Latimer. Use Sophie as a distraction so that Dubenich would lower his defenses once she was out of the way and Maggie could take over the grift. Eliot, Quinn and I would be waiting outside for them when they escorted Sophie out, because we knew they were not going to just let her go on her merry way.

Dubenich and Sophie walked out together, Sophie carried herself as though the tiny man beside her was nonexistent. He tsked at her and put his sunglasses on, obviously confident that he had won.

"You thought you could get Latimer alone," he told her feeling completely confident he had foiled out harebrained scheme. "You underestimated me."

"Hmm…" she replied still not even granting him the power of her gaze. "The last time I underestimated you, I was right."

Quinn and I were leaning against the nearby wall and both of us stood up as they came closer. Sophie stopped a few paces behind Dubenich and smiled knowingly as we both crossed our arms. Dubenich looked at us.

"Curly hair, pretty face, teenager. You must be, Anna," he said almost cruelly as he stepped toward me. I looked past him to Sophie wondering if I was supposed to stay put or go ahead and just take him out. "Just as pretty as everyone says. A couple years and you'll be playing men like putty in your hands like Ms. Devereaux." Then his smile faded slightly as he looked at Quinn. "And who are you?"

He shrugged a little. "Well, I'm definitely not Eliot," Quinn replied, shrugging a little.

Suddenly Eliot came out of the background and tackled Dubenich to the ground. I punched the guy to the left in the nose and a final hit to the side of the head and watched him hit the ground hard. Eliot pulled me away and pushed me towards Sophie as he and Quinn took over the fighting. Sophie and I both fell a couple extra steps back when they threw the guys to the ground and knocked them out.

Quinn pulled a gun from one of their hands and tossed it to Eliot. Sophie looked at him in shock as he cocked it. "What are you doing?" she hissed as he pointed the gun down at Dubenich on the ground.

"Take Anna and go," he told said making Sophie grab my arm. Still, she didn't pull me away. She just stood there staring at Eliot as he pointed the gun down at Dubenich's head.

"Eliot, what are you doing?" Sophie asked again, this time colder, harsher. She was showing she didn't approve and she knew she couldn't over power him with anything but her persuasion. Still, she was going to leave the decision up to him.

"I'm thinking about saving my friend some trouble," Eliot grumbled back.

Sophie shook her head at him as her grip on my shoulders tightened. Dubenich didn't take his eyes off Eliot and the gun in his face. Finally, Eliot pointed the gun away, but didn't take his eyes off of Dubenich. He unloaded the gun and turned away.

"Come on, Anna," Sophie called at me as I looked down at Dubenich. Eliot and Quinn both turned to leave as well.

Kneeling down, I looked Dubenich in the eye. For the man causing us so much havoc he was very short and round. He looked, mostly, harmless. Definitely wouldn't be able to hold up in a fight with anyone on the team. What made him so threatening.

He looked back at me, humored by the way I was examining him like a new species I had come across in the world. "You're a very stupid girl," Dubenich told me, laughing at me like I was nothing more than a speck to the existence.

"No, you're a very dumb man," I told him lowering my voice and glaring at him. "You pissed off a group of people that make a living out of revenge." His face sobered a little as I allowed a smile to take over my face. "Really, I should thank you for making my very lovely family. But next time they kick you and you go down," I stood up and looked at him on the ground, "stay down."

"Anna!" Sophie called again and I stood up and walked toward her. She put her arm around my shoulders and didn't look down at me. She seemed deep in thought as we walked toward the coffee shop where Nate was waiting with Rosalie.

"You do not say a word to Nate about what Eliot did, do you understand me?" she told me, her voice hinged on concern and urgency. Slowly, I nodded.

My mind was on other things as we walked. She looked as distracted as I was, her arm protectively holding me close because of how many things had been taken from us recently that she didn't want to lose anything else. Her brown eyes looked tired and haunted and that made me nervous.

What had Eliot meant when he said saving his friend some trouble? Nate wouldn't really kill someone. Nate wasn't a killer. There was no doubt in my mind that Nate's heart, broken or not, was too big to be a killer. Maybe he'd kill to save one of us, but he'd never kill someone to kill someone. My dad was a better man than that, I was sure. My father, Nathan Ford, wouldn't take a life.

Sophie sighed in her thoughts and squeezed my shoulder a little tighter. I knew the whole situation with Nate slapping me was still bothering her, but I was hoping it wasn't putting her this much on edge.

As we walked through the door of the coffee shop, Nate was sitting at a table talking to Rosalie as though she wasn't a child at all and could completely follow whatever his conversation was. She was watching him, her eyes big with curiosity as she munched on the pretzels on the table in front of her.

"Mom?" I muttered as we walked together to the counter. She didn't say anything, she just hummed to let me know she was listening as we were handed out coffee. "Did you really shoot Dad?"

Her eyes shot back to me and suddenly she looked a bit worried. "If you're trying to compare what I did to Nate to what he and Eliot wanted to do-"

"No!" I said quickly raising my free hand in defense. "No. I was just wondering…" I glanced between her and Nate as I took a seat next to Rosalie at the table. "I… I just wanted to hear your side of the story?"

Sophie gave Nate a quizzical look. "Did you tell her how you shot me in the back? Typical American, shoots me in the back and tells Anna your bias version of the story," Sophie grumbled and I couldn't tell if she was being playful or if she was actually a bit spiteful.

Nate looked at her as though she could not be serious. "I recall you shooting me first."

She waved her free hand at him and winked at me and Rosalie. "Details."

Rolling my eyes, I nudged Rosalie and playing with one of her spiral curls. "See this Rose? We have parents that shoot each other," I told her rubbing my nose against hers and looking over to Sophie and Nate.

Sophie seemed to find it amusing while Nate didn't seem nearly as enthralled. He was going through a stack of files on the table. He looked tired, and I knew he and Sophie were not getting along at the moment and I wasn't sure if I should say something or keep my mouth shut. Then again, they were my parents.

Just as I was about to jump into the interrogation when Sophie piped up instead. "So, what were you and Rose talking about when we came in?"

Nate didn't even look at her. "I was telling her that she was supposed to be a good girl if you take her away for a while," he replied taking a sip of his coffee.

The glare he received from Sophie was so cold, I could feel the chill from across the table. She laid her coffee on the table and bit her bottom lip trying to hold back whatever she was wanted to say. I looked between them nervously, finally letting my eyes fall on Nate.

"Where are we going?" I asked my voice low as I glanced around the other people reading the paper, carrying on with their lives. For some reason I felt like when my world was crashing down it was simply more painful to notice that no one else was falling down around her.

Nate took a deep breath. "Anna, this is a dangerous job, anything could happen. Just covering all my bases." Sophie looked even more angry at him and I had a feeling they knew something I didn't.

I couldn't convince myself to ask any more questions, mostly because I was beginning. Instead, I sat silent in my thoughts sipping my tea and hoping that whatever it was that was making Nate think of his backup plan, never happened.

Sophie was seething. Her anger boiled in her gut as she realized what Nate was doing. How dare he? She was beginning to slowly loath the man she fell in love with. She examined her oldest daughter. Her eyes were distant as she looked into her coffee cup and absently shooed Rosalie's hand away.

Sometimes she wondered if Nate didn't purposely hurt Anna like that. She was seemed to be contemplating Nate's words in a way that only Anna would.

Of course Sophie could see Nate's pain, just as she could smell the whiskey he had poured into his coffee, but she needed him to stop hurting other's with his pain. Like father like daughter. All Sophie could do was hope that Anna didn't turn to alcohol in a few years as well.

Just then, Sophie's phone went off. It was Maggie saying she was ready to meet back up. Sophie looked up at Rosalie and Anna. Standing up, Sophie quietly excused herself and told the three of them to meet her across the street whenever they were finished with the coffee. As she stood up and pushed in her chair, Sophie leaned in next to Nate's ear.

"Please change your attitude," she said her voice not registering her hostility. "You're killing Anna's spirit."

Sophie nudged him one last time before heading off toward the bar. Quinn and Eliot should be taking care of Latimer right about now and if someone in this world could help Sophie straighten Nate out, it would be Maggie.

*Anna*

Nate looked up at me and put the file down. "Anna," he said in a sigh, rubbing his face with his hands and letting his gaze fall back to the paper. He truly did look exhausted. He hadn't slept well since his father died and I was pretty sure he didn't even leave the tunnels last night. He couldn't quite look me in the eye since he hit me. There was a bruise on the side of my face and even though it was from sparring with Quinn, Nate still looked ill when he saw it.

"Daddy?" Rosalie cheered at him. He ignored her for a moment before pinching the bridge of his nose and looking back at me.

"Anna, I try so hard to keep you from getting hurt and I feel like that's all that's happened since you've been here. Someone has hurt you, and the last time it was me," he said, his voice hollow. I could tell that he couldn't quite get the words to sound how he wanted.

I looked at him and shook my head. "You're not going to leave are you? I mean, if you think slapping me hurt, I really couldn't take you leave." The humor in my voice failed miserably as I watched him shrug off the words.

Was this the way it was going to be now? None of us able to hold a conversation with each other because we're too busy trying to keep each other from hurting each other? Or were they just acting that way toward me? Eliot didn't even want to run with me this morning. Quinn joined me instead while Hardison argued with Chaos and Archie and Parker worked on another project.

I wanted Nate to look up with those gorgeous big blue eyes and tell me that he'd never leave us behind. That we were a family and families stick together. I wanted a Disney movie life answer. The one where we all live happily ever.

Did thieves get happily ever afters? I mean, Robin Hood got Made Miriam and rode off into the sunset… At least, in the Disney version. Maybe it really was time for me to grow up and stop hoping for Walt Disney to write our story.

"Anna, there's some things you're too young to understand," he told me, not looking up at me. "But you will be taken care of, you and Rosalie will always be safe."

"So glad," I said sarcastically. "Maybe it's my fault for getting attached." Pushing my chair out, I grabbed Rosalie and headed for the door. How stupid could I have been? Thieves didn't have families for a reason, or maybe Nate Ford didn't have a family for a reason.

Nate watched the girls go. He was silent as he looked down at the photos of Dubenich and Latimer. Did he give up the life he had created with Sophie, Anna, and Rose or did he let the men that killed his father go?

It was a question that the answer should have felt obvious, but it didn't feel that easy to choose.

Sophie walked alongside Maggie, loosely filling in the details of Jimmy's death. Many details were left out, like how they were trapped in the US Patent office, how they were stealing a patent, and how they really pushed the border in getting out, but the important details were there. Anna following Jimmy back and trying to save him. Nate begging his father to start walking, to walk out of the building with Anna. How quiet the apartment was because Anna and Nate didn't say a word to anyone for days.

"I swear you all only call me if something life or death happens. First Anna's wreck, now Jimmy, I really hope someone other than Anna will start calling me just to say hello," Maggie said lightly. She always seemed to hold a more playful insight to things. Ever since Sam died she thought it was easier. Sophie inwardly wondered how long her high spirits would last.

Stopping at the corner of the street and waiting for the crosswalk to change, Sophie looked at her friend. "I also called you because Nate listens to you." Maggie scoffed. "Well, better than most," she added quickly before taking a deep breath and looking away again. "Nate and Anna haven't been the same. I know he's grieving and they both are feeling guilty, and him slapping her in front of the whole bloody room anything-"

Maggie stared at Sophie. "He did what?" Slowly, Sophie nodded in affirmation. "And he's still breathing? You and Eliot let him live?"

She held up her hands and tried to remain the diplomat, but Maggie was even more angry than Sophie had planned on her being. "It wasn't all him, Anna had some hand in it in more than you would think. We can work past that, I know that but I… I told Nate I wouldn't get involved with a murderer and if he killed Dubenich that I was taking the girls and leaving." Sophie took a deep breath and refused to look toward Maggie. "Then he was telling Rose to be good if he's not around anymore…"

Maggie could see how bad of a place Sophie seemed to be in and immediately felt bad for her. Until less than a year ago, all she really was responsible was her. Sophie kept a watchful eye over her team members, but they did not need her constant love and affection that Anna did. Now she had Rose too. She had gone from near freedom to being a mother of two girls, one a toddler and the other a broken soul. They needed parents and that was Sophie and Nate. Though, Sophie felt like she was letting the girls down if Nate left, but if Nate did decide to take the life of another person, Sophie had a right to leave. In fact, it was her duty to take the girls and leave. Their birth parents were murders and scum, she would not allow them to be around that any longer.

The stress was written in Sophie's tired, blood shot eyes, dark circles under her eyes that the makeup couldn't hide anymore, the way she held herself. She looked exhausted, but a grifter never gave up on a fight. That was a lie. A mother never gave up on a fight for her children. But she knew that sometimes you had to give up on the people, especially when they stop being the person you fell in love with.

Maggie looked away from Sophie. She feared her close examination of the woman would only break the woman more. "You know, I remember when Nate first met you," Maggie told her as she heard the woman sniff back tears. She could save the grifter a piece at a time, and her biggest piece that was broken was a man that some would say they shared.

Sophie could look at her, but her heart fluttered as the past memories came to her mind.

"He came back from Prague and something just felt different. He seemed a little more distant, but I mean, Nate would never cheat. He can be a bit of a sadistic asshole, but he's definitely loyal. I never worried, maybe I should have, but I never did." Maggie glanced at Sophie for only a moment before crossing the street with her. "One thing you should know about Nate is when it comes right down to it, he will always choose Prague."

Sophie chuckled through her tears. "You know, during a con we had to pose as a married couple and we chose to use our same background information. We were supposed to use the day we met as our anniversary and I said ten years he said eight. Later he explained that eight years ago was when I formally introduced myself to him as Sophie Devereaux, and I was never quite sure if he was just covering or if he truly remembered." Wiping her tears away quickly Sophie chuckled again. "I feel awful, I mean you were his wife at the time."

Maggie shrugged. "You both respected out vows. Sometimes you can't help what you feel."

As they cut through the park, Sophie took a seat on a park bench and covered her face with both hands. Tears were running down her face. She was supposed to be the strong one; she was the one that was supposed to hold it together for everyone else. No one but Maggie was around now to see her cry on some unimportant park bench in Boston.

"I'm sorry," Sophie said forcing a smile, feeling stupid for crying.

Maggie sat down next to her and placed a hand on her back. "Don't be. I thought being a mom was hard enough. I couldn't imagine being a grifter on top of that too. Plus, Nate is not an easy person to love."

Sophie wiped away her tears and shrugged a little. "After all I've done in my life, I probably deserve less."

Maggie knew that Sophie didn't want to argue about it as she stood up again and made sure her eyes were clear of tears and her face was no longer blotch. They came to another street to see Anna and Rosalie standing on the opposite side. Sophie tensed immediately, before noticing that Nate was in fact coming around the corner toward them.

*Anna*

I just wanted to go home. Maybe go back to Nate's apartment. It was safe now. We had made a point to make it look like we weren't coming back. I could go there and just think for a while. Pass Rose off to Sophie and go think. Anywhere. Anywhere alone.

Sophie and Maggie crossed the street toward me and I handed Rose off to Sophie before getting pulled into a tight hug from Maggie. "You're so tiny!" she exclaimed hugging me and pulling me away just enough to get a better look at me. "And when are you going to come visit me?"

Before I could reply, her face fell and went to the light purple bruise on my cheek. I pulled away and shrugged her off. "It was from sparring with Quinn. Don't worry, I still won."

Maggie didn't say much. She just responded with a brief nod before looking past me to Nate carrying his box of folders. She watched him for an extra second before turning to Rosalie who decided to suddenly turn shy.

"You must be Rosie," Maggie said sweetly tickling the girl's stomach. Rosalie kept her thumb in her mouth and her head against Sophie's neck as she watched Maggie. There was a smile on her lips but she was still leery.

Nate looked irritated. "Seriously, my wife? You recruited my wife?"

Sophie rolled her eyes and shifted Rosalie a little better on her hip. "_Ex_-wife," she reminded him before looking at Maggie. "He never says ex."

Maggie shrugged. "I always do," she took a step closer to him and put her hand on his arm. "Nate, I'm sorry about Jimmy. You should have called me."

Of course Rosalie had to interrupt.

"Daddy," Rosalie called to him, extending her arms toward him and wiggling away from Sophie. Most of the time, we all came second to "Daddy".

Nate set down the crate for the moment and accepted the excited girl, seeming more confident now that she was in her father's arms. "Rosalie, say hi to Maggie."

Still looking at Maggie skeptically, she waved. "Hi, Maggie," she replied clearly before Nate got right back to the point.

"I didn't want-" he began before looking at Sophie instead. "This is way out of line, Sophie. I mean…"

Sophie shrugged and Maggie stepped up closer for her defenses. I was staying back for a reason. I personally didn't care much about anything at the moment. "What? You said get someone not in the game. I don't know anyone not in the game. Maggie is the only honest person I know, unless you wanted Anna to recruit one of her little boyfriends."

That I picked up on. "Hey!"

Nate just shook his head. "But you didn't tell me!"

I rolled my eyes. "I mean do you blame us?"

He looked at me, incredulously. "You knew about this too?"

Maggie exhaled. "We knew you'd do this."

Nate looked at her. "Do what?"

Sophie gave him a get real look. "We're friends. I mean, Maggie is pretty well Anna and Rose's godmother. And, I got to say, she's turning into quite the grifter."

"Now that you two are together with the these two," she said referring to Rose and I, "when Sophie asks me for a favor, how could I refuse?"

Nate opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Still, Rosalie insisted on shoving one of her pretzels between his teeth.

Sophie and Maggie laughed a little at him. "Look at that," Sophie teased. "He looks like a slapped mackerel."

They seemed to get along so well, but I could sense the feeling of uneasiness in the air between Maggie and Nate. The feeling seemed to hover around Nate no matter who else was around. Sophie cleared her throat awkwardly, before reaching out to take Rosalie again.

"Anna, why don't you and I go ahead and-"

"I'll catch up with you guys later, okay?" I told her absently checking my pocket to be sure I had cash on me.

Before they could argue, I was gone.

Sophie grumbled and shook her head. "Damn it, I hate it when she does that," she muttered. Anna loved to just disappear and sulk somewhere. Classic teenager, classic Anna. She was spending more time alone than anything else because, just like Sophie, the feeling of borderline hostility was making her just as crazy.

Maybe all grifters and thieves were alike, they tried to hide their weakness by cutting everything else off.

Rosalie wrapped her arms around Sophie's neck. "Momma, foods?" she asked, pulling her mother from her thoughts. "Noodles? And brockwii. Eliot make?"

Sophie chuckled softly smiled at Maggie and Nate. "So the little one has spoken. I'll catch up with you all in a bit."

Sophie carried Rosalie away leaving Nate and Maggie alone. They stood there silent. Maggie wanted to make him suffer while he waited for her to take the lead on the conversation. The only time Nate didn't take control was when he was ashamed of the control he had already lost.

"You hit her. You hurt her," Maggie said with a matter of fact tone.

Nate rolled his eyes. "Could have started with something more original. Seems like I've heard that every second for the last two days."

"From other people or is it stuck in your head?" Maggie asked. She looked at him. Her anger was hovering beneath the surface. "I mean, you did an excellent job of not becoming your father Nate. Alcoholic, criminal, even hitting his kid. You're right. Not your father."

"I'm _not_ my father!" Nate roared at her, not caring that he was receiving looks from passersby.

"Prove it," Maggie shot at him. "I'm not Sophie. I care about you, but Sam's gone. Our main connection to each other has passed on. But somewhere in that broken heart of yours is a love for Anna and Rose that matches Sam's and a love for Sophie that probably exceeds whatever love you once had for me."

Nate shook his head at her. She couldn't possibly know. Without another word, she reached into her purse and pulled out a letter addressed to him. The handwriting was painfully familiar. "This was forwarded from the old house we had together in LA."

Nate took it from her and threw it into the box. "He's gone, a letter's not going to bring him back."

Maggie rolled her eyes and turned away from him. "Yeah, I'm beginning to feel that way about you too."

*Anna*

I sat in the empty apartment that I had considered my home for the last several months. It was weird to see the place missing everything. The dining room table that we around several times a week, the boards that we plotted out cons, and the couch where we curled up every night until Nate shooed us out.

It was empty. Gone.

"This place looks weird with no furniture."

I spun around so fast, I nearly tripped on one of the steps. Quinn looked at me and seemed completely calm as I glared at him. "Do I not get ten seconds of privacy?"

"I counted to one hundred," he teased holding up two fingers together. "Scout's honor." He stepped toward me, examining me as he did so. "Eliot told me to keep an eye on you."

I rolled my eyes. "He treats me like I'm ten."

Quinn smiled at me. "You're not ten, but you're certainly not an adult either," he told me.

For some reason my heart was pounding as he moved toward me, and it was the good type of heart pounding. Quinn was twenty-four, eight years older than me, too old for me, but my mind didn't like thinking about that.

"You're pretty special, you know it?" he said tilting his head to the side. I blushed and looked away. "No, really. You're sixteen and you're one of the best grifters I've ever seen in my life. You've made people like _the Sophie Devereaux _and _the Parker_ and turned them into family. Eliot Spencer is a softy for you and trust me, that's pretty rare."

I didn't say anything, but I watched him as he looked around the room, finally settling on one of the steps that led up to what used to be Nate's bedroom. Slowly, I walked over and joined him. "You push someone to hit you, and merely accept it when they do. I'll tell you what, you are not very good at damage control."

Instead of speaking, I only nodded. Quinn watched me as I did so. "But, let me tell you something. Damage control is not like controlling people. In fact, damage control is giving up control." He waited for a response, but when he didn't get one, he put his hand on my knee and gave it a compassionate pat. "Stop trying to hold back how you feel and just let it out. I guarantee it will work a lot better than running off to an empty apartment."

"How do you know?" I asked, not letting any emotion in my voice.

Quinn shrugged. "Sometimes, I know things."

Standing up, he turned to me and offered a hand to help me to my feet. I cordially accepted. He looked at me in a way I don't think I've ever been looked at before. "I wasn't lying when I said you're pretty special."

My face heated up and I looked away from him. "You're pretty special too."

He let go of my hand and led the way out of the apartment, holding the door for me as we left the apartment. Silently I reminded myself: I was nine years away from being twenty-five…

But I was also a master at persuasion.

_**Yes, I made Quinn younger than he probably is, but it would be REALLY weird for a thirty something year old to be admiring Anna. Just saying. Anyway, please review!**_


	66. Walk Away

_**So, this was a pain to write. **_

Eliot watched as Quinn and Anna walked into the cave. They both looked to be content in silence, but he couldn't help but notice a slight look that they exchanged. Sophie, who was standing beside Eliot attempting to hold a conversation with him, glanced up at the two walking in as well. She saw it also. Rosalie tugged on her arm as Quinn watched Anna walk away. There was not lust in his eyes, but an odd sort of curiosity that Sophie dreaded even more.

Anna was aware of this, but not quite sure how to take it, Sophie could tell that. Still, Eliot thought he knew how to handle it.

Without warning he charged up toward Quinn, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him into one of the tunnels. Sophie was the only one who noticed, but even she kept her mouth shut for the moment.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Eliot snapped, throwing him into the wall. "She's a kid!"

Quinn narrowly dodged the first that came at his face and wasn't fast enough to avoid the second one. "What are you talking about?" he asked gasping as he straightened from doubling over. That might be a broken rib.

"Anna, the way you're looking at Anna," Eliot hissed before grabbing him by the collar again and pushing him against the wall. "She's sixteen."

There was no point in denying it. "I would never touch her, Eliot. But you're wrong. She's not a kid."

Eliot glared at Quinn, but let him speak. He let go of his shirt and looked at him. His eyes telling Quinn that one wrong word could land him in several pieces scattered throughout the world. "You know, I thought you all were crazy. Letting some teenybopper into you team like she was a seasoned thief, but I see it now. She's talented and she's smart and…" Quinn looked Eliot square in the eye, "She's got more heart than anyone I've ever met. Just being around her for these few days has changed me."

Eliot understood, but Quinn was not seeing the point. "You were looking at her-"

"I was looking at her in a way that I would look at a young woman that has made such an impact on my life," Quinn finished for him calmly. "She's not a kid. Not really. She's not an adult either, but she's something special."

Eliot nodded. "You're right. Anna is special. But you-" He wanted to tell Quinn that he could never look at Anna. That he couldn't be near her. That he wasn't even allowed to think about her. But in truth, Quinn was a really good guy. He realized that Anna was too young, but one day, when she is older, maybe he could deal with Quinn being around her. "You wait," Eliot said finally. "Until she is twenty, at the earliest. You will be nothing but her friend, alright?"

Quinn nodded and watched as Eliot walked away. That could have gone better. Then again, it could have gone worse too. At least it was only one rib.

When Quinn came back around the corner he watched as Anna spoke in hushed tones to her mother. If you were a stranger passing by, you would never guess they were not any true relation. They shared similar features and even some of their facial expressions were similar. Sophie watched them as though they were the most important things on earth and Eliot stood by like a royal guard, always sure to keep them safe.

Sophie cupped Anna's face in both her hands and they both started laughing, the toddler joining in simply because of how contagious is was. Quinn even found himself grinning as the large dog trotted over from underneath the table where the two hackers were sitting to stick his nose in the little girl's face.

"Your money will be wired to you," Eliot reminded him, breaking his eyes off of the scene before him. Anna looked up at him too.

"Going already?" she asked, a twinge of disappointment in her tone.

All Quinn could do was nod and she walked over to him. She stood more than half a foot shorter than him, but she seemed to always be able to look him square in the eye. Suddenly, she went into his arms and gave him a hug.

"Don't be a stranger, okay?" she told him, as he returned the hug. Finally she pulled away. "Next time you're around you won't have to go easy on me, and I'll probably still win."

They both laughed as Sophie and Eliot watched protectively. Sophie picked up Rosalie and glanced in Eliot's direction. "I don't think I like this," she told him, he words low enough for only the two to hear.

"At first I said the same thing, and then I realized that Anna could probably never trust someone normal. She's like us, we'll only ever find love in our own kind of people," Eliot told her. "But I have a strong feeling that Quinn will handle this appropriately."

If not Eliot would kill him. Maybe even Nate would kill him. "Let's keep this between us, alright?" Sophie said as Quinn and Anna said their final goodbyes. She watched as Anna went to her tippy toes and gave Quinn a brief peck on the cheek. She looked comfortable as Quinn placed his hands on her arms. They were both smiling.

Rosalie tugged on Sophie's sleeve to get her attention. "Momma, Nana and Quinn happy, Momma," she told her sounding a bit jealous.

Then something happened that Sophie didn't expect. She suddenly felt a little choked up and she pulled Rose into her. Anna didn't even realize it yet, but the way she looked at Quinn was the same way she still looks at Nate.

"Oh boy," Sophie half chuckled.

Nate sat alone in the tunnel, spinning the barrel of the revolver. The unopened envelope taunted him from its placement on the files. His glass of scotch was empty again and his mind was in the dark place alcohol brings him. It was a very different dark place to where he was when he was sober and he often preferred it. It was the lesser of two evils.

Grabbing for the bottle, he filled it again. He couldn't remember how many times he had refilled, but he was sure it didn't stay empty long since about ten o'clock this morning.

The letter was taunting him. It was postmarked the day after his father died, most likely mailed when he had snuck off and headed toward the warehouse.

Finally he reached for it. He held it in his hands for a long moment before ripping it open. Taking a deep breath, he unfolded the paper.

_Son, _

_I know we've never gotten along and I know I was never there for you as a kidm but I want you to know that I was wrong. I'm proud of the man you've become. _

_That girl of yours, Anna, she's taught me some things. Today she told me something, something I never thought would come out of such a little girl's mouth. She told me that she had learned more in pieces than she could have learned whole. _

_She has a gift, son. She can put pieces of the most shattered old man back together and remind him what's important. You're important, son._

_Protect your family. They aren't going to be around as long as you want them to be. Tell your kids you love them, hold the woman you love a little tighter and never hurt them. _

_I know this is the last time you're going to hear from me, son, and that's alright. You were the best thing that ever happened to me. _

_I'm sorry for everything I've done to you, but most of all, I'm sorry I never met my grandson. _

_I love you, Nathan._

_Love,_

_Pop_

"So, this is the person you want to be?" a voice asked from behind him.

He didn't turn around, he just crumbled the letter and tossed it away. "A drunk murderer? Why not?" he snapped in reply. There was no time to process what his father's last words to him were. The damage was done.

"Because you need those girls as much as they need you. Because you need me as much as I need you." Sophie sat behind him, resting her head against his back as she slid her hand over the top of his arm until she could intertwine their fingers. "Don't give everything up in revenge for a man who you never wanted to be."

He shrugged her off and stood up, turning around to look her in the eye. She looked hurt, betrayed by his actions.

"Nate, stop," Sophie said finally. He turned around and looked at her, surprised by her desperate tone. "Please, I have never begged you for anything, hell I don't think I've begged for anything in my adult life, but I will hit my knees and beg for you put down that gun. Don't throw away what we have. Don't walk away from those two girls out there. You're the only father that has ever been there for them. Don't-" she bit her lip. "Don't walk away from our family. Don't walk away from me."

He turned away from her and looked down at the gun in his hands. "Sophie…" The apology was in his voice. Sophie sighed and shook her head. It was over. He had already made his decision and there was no changing his mind.

Without another word, he headed for the exit.

Sophie watched as he left the cave. She could have wallowed in self-pity, but self-pity was not something she did all that well.

The moment had come, the moment Nate had been waiting for had finally come and he watched these two men throw each other under the bus as a poor attempt to keep their own lives. There was a hole in Nate's shoulder but he could barely feel the pain through all the adrenaline. He was angry, his body trembling with rage. Yet all these two stupid men could do was attempt to sell the other out for their life.

Nate held the gun out toward the two men. "I have five bullets!" Nate reminded them harshly. "The question you should be asking is which one of you is going first!"

Dubenich had played every card he had. Even stooping so far as reminding him that he didn't kill the man responsible for his son's death in which Nate replied that his son would be ashamed of him if he was a murderer, but his father would buy him an ice cream.

The game was done. Nate was the winner. His reward was watching these men turn to nothing while fear and desperation took over them.

"Dad?" Anna's voice pulled his attention away from the two men and he looked back to see her standing behind him. Her long dark hair was tied away from her face and her big brown eyes were watching him closely. In the distance behind her he saw the rest of his team. Parker, Hardison, Eliot, Sophie with Rose in her arms watching as Nate pointed a gun at the two me. He saw Sophie turn Rose's eyes away.

It wasn't worth it. Killing these men was not worth losing it all.

Slowly, he turned back around and took a couple steps closer to them as he walked toward the end of the cliff. "Of course, nobody has to pull the trigger today," he said to them, placing the gun on the very edge of the concrete before turning away. "We could all just walk away and accept the consequences of what we've done."

His eyes were locked on Anna and he could hear the men struggling for the gun behind him as he went to her. As she walked with him, he put his arm over her shoulders and the both slowed a little when they heard the two men fall into the water. Anna nearly turned around, but he tightened his grip on her shoulders and kept her walking away, back to her family.

"You're bleeding," she said, only just noticing that his shirt was beginning to turn red. "We should get you to the doctor, you-"

He smiled, but didn't look at her. "Sophie knows how to handle these types of things. After all, the one in my other shoulder I can blame on her."

The way Anna looked at him made him proud to be the man he was. He was proud he didn't pull that trigger. He was proud to be the kind of man a sixteen year old spitfire can admire as well as be the father that a little two year old calls daddy.

He wasn't his father, but his father wasn't who he thought he was either.

Rosalie ran toward him, only to be caught by Anna instead. "No, I want Daddy!" she demanded from her sister as she tried to wiggle away.

"No, Daddy's hurt, Rose," Anna tried to explain as Sophie came toward him.

She wasted absolutely no time. Placing both hands on his face she kissed him. Anna turned away in embarrassment as Nate pulled her closer and returned the kiss before they finally broke apart. "Sometimes I hate you," she muttered at him as their foreheads rested against each other.

"I know," he replied only making her smile a little more. Suddenly she pressed her hand against the hole in his shoulder making him wince and hiss in pain. "What the-"

"Serves you right!" she snapped as Eliot came over with a first aid kit and handed it to her. Anna followed him away with Rose. She opened the the box to find it was not very well supplied. Only gauzes really.

She placed them on his wound and shook her head. "Well, that was a spectacularly awful plan," she told him, failing at sounding angry. At the moment she was just happy that in the end, everyone got what they wanted.

"Lucky you showed up then," he said with a knowing smile.

Of course he knew they'd follow. They always did. As they sat together on the rocks, the water rushing behind them through the rocks of the damn, Sophie wore a sad sort of smile. "I'm glad you didn't do it."

"I'm not my father, Sophie. If I live like him, I'd always be looking for the next payout, never just looking at," he motioned toward their "children" all five of them smiling and laughing and making jokes together, "at what I have. And, you know, if you live the way he lived, eventually, your luck runs out." He looked away from her and took a deep breath. "I got to make some changes."

She pushed her hair away to look at him. "What kind of changes?"

A small smile fell on his lips as he looked back at her. "I got plans."

She laughed a little. "Oh, and that never goes wrong."

He stood and took her hand, helping her to her feet as well. They were inches away from each other and all he could do was smile as he pulled her even closer to him. "Very big plans."

"Such as-" Suddenly his lips were on hers for a heated kiss. It was so tender and loving. His apologies and silent 'I love yous' were all there as he held her close. He wrapped his arms around her and silently promised that he'd always choose her because there really wasn't another choice that would ever matter to him as much as her and those girls. His girls. Their girls.

"Oh, you may regret getting rid of that gun," Sophie teased pulling away from the kiss, but unwilling to leave his arms.

Nate gave her a confused look. "Why?"

"You won't believe who's got his eye on Anna." Nate only blinked and Sophie's grin widened. "Quinn."

Nate immediately groaned and Sophie laughed, draping his arms around his neck. She rested her forehead against his and closed her eyes. "I think Eliot and him have made some sort of deal, but we know how Anna is, and she looks at him," she opened her eyes and met his, "like I look at you."

Nate took a deep breath. "I think it's time I got a gun."

Sophie just chuckled softly as she pecked his lips. "I think it's time to start making those plans."

_**A whole new adventure will begin! I would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter as well as some things you would like to see over the hiatus. I don't think the team is going to split up for the entire time. But I haven't really decided what all is going to happen. Anyway. Hope you liked this chapter!**_


	67. Being There

_**Hello my lovely readers! I'm thinking about writing a future chapter on BL Christmas Edition, but I'm not sure yet. I guess you'll find out by Christmas! Anyway. Here you all go!**_

We all sat around the dining room table of the suite. Eliot had prepared the food for our "temporary goodbye" dinner. We sat in our usual order. Nate at the head of the table with Sophie on his right and Eliot on his left. Rosalie sat between Sophie and I, and Parker was between Hardison and Eliot.

Everyone looked exhausted as well as a little upset with the departure, but we held our strong faces. We tried to make casual conversation but the constant realization that we weren't going to see each other every day for the next six months wasn't a pleasant one and we always fell back into silence too often. Our strong faces were beginning to falter and even Parker was just pushing around her food with her fork.

Finally, Sophie put down her fork and placed her elbows on the table, resting her chin against her folded hands. "Dinner is wonderful, Eliot, but I don't think anyone is much in the mood for eating," Sophie said gently and everyone else put down their silverware as well.

Eliot glanced over the table at me. "Would you help me clear the table?"

I nodded, just barely. We moved toward the kitchen with our dishes and washed them in silence. I felt Eliot pat me on the shoulder as I dried the last dish and quickly wiped my tears away with the back of my hand.

We moved slowly back into the main room and noticed everyone sitting on the floor. Nate with Rosalie on his lap and Sophie leaning against him as Hardison and Parker sat against each other. There was only one light in the room, lighting it just enough to make out each person's silhouette.

Sophie opened her arms to me and I went to her. She kissed my hair and took a deep breath as I wiped my tears away. Rosalie put both her hands on my face.

"What's wrong Nana?" she asked me brushing away one of the tears that escaped again. She was very good as empathy, especially for a two year old. She just wanted everyone to be happy. Still, there were times that I could see so much more working behind those big brown eyes that I could tell she may follow more in Nate shoes than Sophie's. Kind of appropriate though, considering I was much more like our mom.

"I'm just sad, sissy," I told her softly, getting held even tighter by Sophie and Nate nudging me a little bit too.

"No, no. Don't be sad, Nana. I love you, and Momma and Daddy too." She looked at Sophie and Nate. "Right?"

Sophie tapped her nose with her index finger. "Of course. We love both of you very much. We just are all sad because it will be a while before we see Eliot, Hardison, and Parker again."

Sophie wiped one of her own tears away. "Momma, why are you crying too?" Rosalie asked her putting her other hand on Sophie's cheek. "Momma, don't cry."

Taking Rosalie's hand, Sophie kissed the inside of her palm and gave her a teary smile. "Oh darling, I just hate to see everyone go, even if it's for a short time."

Rosalie ran to Eliot and threw her arms around his legs and looked up at him. "Where you goin'?"

"We all have to go to different places for a while," Eliot tried, pulling her up into her arms. She snuggled her head against his shoulder and held around his neck tight.

"But Mommy and Daddy stay? You stay too!" Rose insisted making everyone choke a bit.

"Rose, it's only for a while," Nate promised as she hung onto Eliot.

In a matter of hours we all will be in our cars heading to airports or highways to all different areas of the world. I wasn't even for sure where we were going but I knew that, for the time being, Nate was keeping the two of us with him and Sophie.

"So you come back?" Rosalie asked him, tears in her voice too.

"Yes, sugar, we'll come back, but not for a while," Eliot told him. There wasn't a dry eye in the place as Rosalie shook her head diligently at him.

"But, no!" she turned around and looked at Nate for help. "Daddy, no!"

I wiped my face again. Nate stood up and went to take the little girl from Eliot to try and calm her, but she clung tight to Eliot's neck. "I want Eliot!"

Eliot held up his hand to tell Nate he was okay with holding her for the moment. That night Rosalie fell asleep on Eliot, Hardison and I played video games and Parker sat behind us like usual cheering on whoever was winning because she hated being on the losing side. Sophie was curled up with Nate on the couch, whispering and having their own conversation.

No one was willing to let the night end, and you could tell by how everyone was struggling to stay awake, but eventually it was pointless to try and stay awake.

*TEAM*

Nate helped Sophie to her feet and looked down at their "kids" on the floor sleeping with game controllers still in there hands. Eliot was even sleeping with Rosalie on his chest. Sophie pulled out Rosalie's favorite blanket and covered her with it while Nate grabbed another to put over Parker and Hardison. They picked up the Xbox controllers and laid them in front of the TV where Hardison would find them in the morning. Then they both looked down at Anna curled up with her face buried into Phantom's fur.

Her curls were wild around her face and body looked so carefree in her pajama shorts and tank top. It was amazing how peaceful she could look while she was sleeping.

Nate helped Sophie unfold the blanket and they tucked her in. She kneeled down and pushed her hair off her face before kissing her forehead. Nate did the same as he pulled the blanket just under her chin and instructed Phantom to stay so he didn't move and wake her. The dog's only response was putting his head back down and exhaling.

They stood together and looked around the room at the five sleeping beings around the room. Sophie walked to him and let him put his arms around her waist. "It's perfect, you know it?"

Nate hummed. "What's perfect?"

"This. This wonderful little, odd, extremely dysfunctional but perfectly functional family. Our family," Sophie told him, squeezing his hand and feeling him hold her a little tighter. "I love it."

"Me too."

She looked up at him before walking hand in hand to their bedroom. They were too exhausted to even think of doing anything but silently be thankful for not having to worry about their bed being intruded for the next few hours and they had a chance, a small chance, of maybe getting through the night without getting crawled all over by a two year old or kicked in the back.

Yet, they both laid awake in bed unable to stop thinking about the fact they would wake up without three very important members of the family.

They were even still awake when Eliot left. Sophie rolled closer to Nate and traced her finger up and down his chest. His hand made small circles on her hip as they listened to the door close behind him. "Has six months gone by yet?"

Nate didn't reply, just closed his eyes and kissed her hair. "We have to deal Anna and Rose in the morning too. That's going to be fun too. Plus, Anna's already asked if she could visit Quinn sometime at his ranch."

Sophie hummed as she heard the next two get up. "This really sucks," she muttered bluntly. "The Quinn thing is a mess. Is it wrong for me to hope that she gets bored with him? I mean, he's so much older than her."

Nate chuckled softly. "You're telling me. I don't even really want to think about her and Quinn. But we know Anna, she's a bit head strong."

Sophie looked up at him and raised her eyebrow. "A bit?"

Nate laughed and took a deep breath as we closed his eyes. "Let's cross that bridge when we get there. Until then, goodnight."

It wasn't long after that they finally fell asleep, only to be woke several hours later by a knock on the door. Anna was the only one who ever knocked on the door, ever. Everyone else just sort of ran in. Every now and then Rosalie would knock when the door was closed and she couldn't get it open.

They had gotten to the point that the bedroom door was only ever closed when they were changing or otherwise not presentable. It was one of those wonderful adaption's to parenthood. The door was cracked at the moment, which was why they were sure it was Anna.

"Come in, sweetheart," Sophie called to her sleepily, not moving out of Nate's arms as her head rested on his chest.

Both of their eyes were still closed when they heard the girl sniffling. Suddenly they both looked up at her. Anna's eyes were bloodshot and her hair was in mad, tangled curls around her face. Nate sat up, pulling Sophie up along with him.

"Anna, what's wrong?" Nate asked her as she stood in the doorway. Anna didn't move, but she wouldn't make eye contact with them either. "Anna?"

"I-I woke up," she hiccupped in a sob, "and-and you weren't th-there."

Sophie frowned. It was sometimes hard to remember those little pieces of Anna that still were torn up on the inside. Anna's fear of being left was halfway fulfilled last night. Her older siblings leaving in the middle of the night and waking up to not be able to find them where she had last seen them probably triggered her to fall back into the original fear she always had.

"Come here," Sophie told her scooting over in the bed slightly so Anna could come between her and Nate.

Still, Anna just stood in the doorway, ashamed of her fragileness. Sophie beckoned to her, coaxing her out of the shadowed hallway. Slowly she moved toward them, and crawled up the food of their bed to where she was leaning against Sophie, cuddled into her arms.

She was sixteen going on forty one day and other's she seemed like she was a little girl, barely willing to open up to anybody. But that didn't matter, she was their girl. She was perfect.

"We will always be there when you need us, love. Always," Sophie told her as she held her.

Those were probably the most important words that could ever be told to a broken girl. She would remember these words for the rest of her life. She would remember where she was told them and she would remember her father pushing her curls out of her face and telling her that he'd never be too far and her mother promising her that they would always save her. She would need them sooner than she thought too.

*FOUR WEEKS LATER*

*Anna*

My limbs were sore, my stomach was growling, and the bruise on my back from a very surprising kidney punch was still making it difficult to move too much. I was sure the team was looking for me by now and I hated myself for planting my tracker on someone else when Nate and Sophie agreed to let me have two weeks without them doing whatever I wanted on my own.

It was just a con, a little con that I just wanted to help out a girl who seemed like she needed help. She did need help.

She was fourteen living in a Detroit teen home that feeds kids on the street's addiction to drugs. A teen home that forced kids to stay so they could get funding. They were technically not even allowed to leave the shelter for longer than a couple of hours otherwise the director of the teen home would call the authorities and have them arrested for drug charges.

It was difficult to turn down drugs without look suspicious. In fact it was really hard to pull this con without shooting up anything. That was why I was sure Sophie was going to kill me. Something that I've definitely learned: I really hate anything up my nose and weed makes me paranoid.

That was one thing the team is not going to approve of. They may understand the need for a con, but Eliot and Nate will be pissed I used anything that would affect my judgment on a con, Sophie would comprehend the need for keeping my alias but still not approve. The other two probably wouldn't say much.

I had been stuck in the damn place for a week and a half and my two weeks of freedom were done with four days ago. The entire team was probably searching for me by now and it was most likely not going to be pretty when they found me, but I still really needed them to find me soon.

"Krissy!" Andrea called to me as I sat cross legged on my bunk writing in a spiral notepad. Everything I wrote was in letter format always with _Dear Mom and Dad_ at the top. People noticed when you were taking notes, but no one there paid much attention to an orphan girl writing letters addressed to her thought to be fictional parents.

I closed the notebook, but not before labeling it with the date and writing _Entry 14_ at the top. Andrea motioned for me to follow her.

"You're allowed to go out today, but you only have an hour. If you're not back by then-"

I nodded and rolled my eyes. "I know the drill. Cops, lock up, not good. Okay."

My hair was French braided and draped over my shoulder. I hated having it braided here because it just gave them something to grab when I was in trouble and going to get hurt, but when it wasn't tied up people gave me hell about it. They called me Prissy Krissy. Or just Priss. Either way, my size and sex made me a prime target for everyone. The fights weren't the bad part. Usually they got in a couple cheap shots, but always ended up with me winning. Still, at the current moment, one of those cheap shots still had me with a black eye and a bruised kidney.

"Hey, Priss," T-Bone, one of the resident drug dealer that enjoyed toying with me, called to me as I made my way toward the door.

"What?" I snapped, standing a little taller, ready for his usual line of BS followed my getting knocked around a little.

If people didn't stop picking fights with me, I would have been allowed my hour of freedom a long time ago. But due to my disciplinary problems I kept getting pushed back

"Jersey says ya gotta see the new lady therapist that come in," T-Bone told me wrapping his dark fingers around my braid and giving it a warning tug. He may have had fifty pounds on me, but I could take him down faster than he could say Prissy Krissy. "What Jers says goes, Priss. Ya new here, so I'll help ya out for some favors."

I pushed him away and strutted toward the group therapy room. Great. Just what I wanted. I was about to get out and lift a phone to try and make another emergency call to the line Hardison set up if any of us ever needed help.

The first time I tried, I barely got a word out before Jersey, the shift manager, came around the corner and blindsided me with a slap to the face and slammed the phone down. Considering that was a week ago, I assumed that it didn't get through.

As I opened the door, I rolled my eyes and didn't even look at the therapist. This was the fourth time this week I was forced to see yet another person about my attitude. It was the same thing every time. They asked about my past, my parents, my foster system past, my drug habits, all the questions answered with a sarcastic comment and annoyed look.

"Look, lady," I grumbled, grabbing the door knob and closing it behind me. "We can just sit here for the next hour while you try and get me to open up about my life or-"

I wasn't even able to finish before I was being pulled around and smothered with kisses and hugs. "Dammit Anna, I should kill you."

Surprised, I looked up to see Sophie holding me in her arms. Immediately, I returned the hug and didn't want to let go. Suddenly I hoped she couldn't tell my pupils were dilated or be able to tell that I was probably still high on speed.

"Well, you may have to stand in line, several people in here want my head on a platter," I chuckled, softly.

"Be glad you were sent to me before you were sent to Nate or you ran into Eliot, you may have been strangled. Your sister is beside herself and Parker is ready to climb through the vents and pull you out herself!" She was not pleased, but she was not willing to let go of me yet.

I couldn't help but laugh at her which only seemed to frustrate her more. "I'm sorry, I'm just really happy to see you. I'm sorry I took this on by myself."

She nodded and hugged me again. "Damn it, Anna. You are never doing anything like that ever again, do you understand me?"

Suddenly she flinched a little let go of me before reaching in her pocket and handing me a com. Slowly, I put it in my ear.

"_She's dead! You tell Anna that she's dead! I'm gunna hit her, forget Eliot, I will hit her!"_ I could only exhale with relief as I listened to Hardison's rant. _"She better be damn glad that the two words she said were enough for the system to recognize it as her and a 9-11 call."_

"Thank you, Hardison. Really," I told him. "But can we please work on shutting this place down?"

"_That's another topic we are going to hit when we get you out of there, Anna. Did you even have a plan?" _Nate grumbled, but God it was good to hear his voice.

"Yes! And it would have worked if I was used to working solo. I used to be able to do this kind of stuff, no problem. You guys have gotten me all dependent on you," I muttered as I walked toward the window of the dirty building.

"_Well, we've done the research and we understand why you're doing it, now we just need you to follow directions now. I know that's not your strong suit, but do me a favor,"_ Nate told me. _"Eliot's a night guard, Sophie's the stand in therapist, and I'll be in there as night shift manager. Parker is doing cafeteria and you're the inside man. Can you handle that?"_

I nodded. "Yes, sir.

"_Good. Now tell me where you're at. What's your cover?" _Nate instructed.

I paced the floor mentally running through the file I had created for my alias. "Krissy Saint James. Orphaned into the system at the age of two. Not much is known about my birth parents, one drug charge last year. Shipped here from the U.P., Michigan. They refer to me as Priss and Prissy Krissy."

Nate paused for a second and I could feel Sophie also studying me. "How high are you at the moment?" Sophie bluntly asked.

I bit my lip. "I took some speed earlier. Not a lot. But I'm still hyper aware of everything going on."

"_So we're going to have to work on this with Anna being high? Great," _Hardison grumbled.

"_Anna doesn't do drugs! She knows better," _Parker demanded.

"It's for an alias. It was probably best that she went along with it so worse didn't happen. Though she already has a pretty impressive black eye," Sophie commented. She looked at me again before shaking her head. "Consider yourself grounded for a very long time, missy."

I groaned. "Is this not punishment enough?"

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and it opened without waiting for a response. I sucked in a breath when I realized it was Jersey. I had been purposely avoiding him because I really didn't want to be hit up for anymore drugs.

"Krissy, kid. Dawg and Lance are looking for you. They said you owe them a favor?"Jersey said giving me a sadistic grin. I swallowed hard and glanced at Sophie who immediately read my nervous expression.

"We're not quite done here Mr. Paul," Sophie stepped in touching my shoulder. I flinched out of habit and I could tell that worried her a bit as well and she pulled back her hand.

Jersey just walked toward her. "I understand that you're new, so I'll go ahead and tell ya. You're job is sort of superficial. These kids aren't gunna tell ya anything anyway." He looked back at me. "Are ya Priss?"

I swallowed hard. "Why do they need me?"

"Apparently you haven't paid them yet for your last present. They could be wrong but you'll have to take it up with them."

I gave Sophie one last look before nodding and heading toward the door. If I would have known what I was getting myself into when I saw Andrea begging for help, I would have called the team before I did anything, but now I was in chin deep and I wasn't so sure about my swimming skills.

As I moved down the hallway, I saw Nate and Eliot chatting. I couldn't stop, but as I went by, they both nodded at me, mentally taking in my appearance.

Andrea came around the corner and looked at the two men. "I've been hearing stuff about you. Krissy. Adam and Jacoby have been saying that you've getting a little too gutsy."

I raised my eyebrow at her. "Have I not proven to them that I can handle myself?"

Andrea gave me a wary look. "Come on, Kris, don't be like that. You're just going to get hurt."

I had proven time and time again that I could handle myself pretty well, but my attitude was not very appealing to the other teenagers here. I was about to learn just how much so.

"What do you want, Dawg?" I snapped crossing my arms and bracing myself against the wall. Dawg was seventeen, large and he had a hand in just about every function that happened at the home.

"I just thought I'd remind you to keep yourself in order, Priss. You're little attitude is wearin' my patience," he grumbled as Lance crossed his arms. "T-Bone keeps tellin' me you're causin' some problems."

I pushed off against the wall. "Really? What are you going to do about it, sweetpea? I thought I already proved to you that I'm a lot tougher than you thought."

Dawg just shook his head. "You keep telling yourself that you're all big and bad. You're nothing but a pup."

I rolled my eyes and headed back to the bunks. I laid on the bed listening to everything on the coms and Hardison complain about how Rose was a Ninja baby. Apparently he had given a two year old orange soda and that does not work well.

Eventually I said goodnight before the other girls came in and took their bunks. I shoved my notebook under my pillow before pulling the blankets up around my chin. But I was very happy to know that my family was there now so that meant I would be going home soon. They always had a way out.

*Team*

"I cannot believe you let her have orange soda!" Sophie snapped at Hardison as she watched the toddler jabber and jump up and down with Parker. Thank God there was someone that could keep up with her when Anna wasn't around.

"I didn't give it to her! I was trying to do coms and take over any cameras in the building, covering Anna's ass is not easy. The kid just drank it!" Hardison defended as Rosalie ran to Sophie and wrapped her arms around her legs talking gibberish.

Sophie raised an eyebrow at him but she didn't feel like arguing. She was exhausted with all the excitement of finding Anna that she really didn't feel like arguing.

Suddenly Hardison jumped and looked down at the screen. Sophie noticed his panic and turned toward him. "Nate, Eliot! You have to get to Anna now!"

All the happiness was sucked out of the room as Parker appeared behind him and watched as Anna struggled against five boys dragging her out of the girl's bunks, gagged by some sort of cloth. Sophie grabbed for a com.

"_Give me a position, Hardison!" _Eliot demanded as Anna disappeared from the screen.

"She's on the east side somewhere, but these cameras are not positioned well! They could be anywhere between the girls' bunks and the media room!" Hardison grumbled back.

A muffled scream from Anna's com came over the com and suddenly they knew she was listening. They were going to be able to hear everything that happened to her and not be able to stop it.

_**So, this is kinda a bad spot to stop, but if I didn't stop it here it may have ended up being close to an 8k word chapter. The next chapter may be a little graphic, but the main question we need to ask is Will Nate and Eliot get to Anna in time?**_


	68. Helpless

_**So, I really love all my readers and would like to thank you for your loyalty. There is also a picture link on my profile of who Anna and Rose are based off of if you'd like to see! This chapter is also borderline graphic. It's not awful, or M-Rate, but its pushing it a little more than usual. **_

*Anna*

I was woke by the feeling for something getting shoved into my mouth and my wrists and ankles were grabbed. My eyes flew open and I kicked against the grip. I was picked up off the bed as five familiar figures dragged me out of the bunk room. My saliva was getting absorbed by the gag in my mouth but I still tried to scream but only coughed.

My kicks and jerks were in vain as my body arched and pushed against them. Five against one wasn't doing me any good. What really wasn't doing me any good was the sounds of Hardison's panic.

"Shut her up, T-Bone," Dawg hissed as I was pulled into one of the therapy rooms. They pushed onto one of the tables and I struggled against their grips as they held me down.

"_Damn it! Get her out of there!" _Hardison demanded as I kept kicking until I felt something hit my head so hard the room started to spin. Still, I fought to stay conscience. If I stayed aware I could fight.

The way they looked at me. I felt like a rabbit surrounded by wolves. They were grinning at me in that way that you grin at someone you know you're about to destroy. They were mocking me with their power as I was pinned down, nearly powerless. I was unable to fight physically and all my powers of persuasion were gone with the gag in my mouth.

They let go of my ankles and I felt their sharp nails go against my stomach as they tried to undo the button of my jean shorts. I was making it as difficult as possible, shifting my hips as they pulled on the denim.

I shifted my hips hard to the left, jerking my body with it and managed to get one wrist free. Kicking T-Bone in the throat, I punch Jacoby where it really hurts before pulling the gag out of my mouth. "Help!" I screamed as loud as I could, hoping that someone would hear me.

There was a deafening blow to my left ear and I nearly flew off the table. Suddenly Dawg was standing above me, one hand wrapped around my throat and the other holding a knife under my chin. "Shut up or we'll make this ever worse for ya, Priss."

I glared at him and felt tears come to my eyes as my shorts were drug down past my ankles. "Stop! Stop! Stop!" I demanded, tears choking me. I saw T-Bone climb up on the table and pinned me beneath his weight. I sucked in a breath. "What do you want?" I asked finally. "Money? Drugs? I can get you whatever you want."

T-Bone looked down at me. "Ya serious, girl? Ya broke the rules, ya need to be taught that ya respect da boys."

"_Anna, just breathe. Keep him talking until Eliot or Nate get there," _Sophie coached as I felt them jerk at my shirt.

"T-Bone, wait!" I choked trying to make connections in my mind. What did he want? What did T-Bone desire? How could I tempt him? "I can get Charger out of the way. I'll take him out so that you're the only dealer for the house."

For a moment he stopped. He looked down at me as though he was really ready to give in, but then his expression changed again and he leaned down toward me breathing hard in my ear. "Listen, bitch, ya gotta be taught a lesson."

They all laughed as he started touching me, freely exploring my body like it was his right to do so. There was absolutely nothing I could say, nothing I could do. His ignorant, drug altered mind was made up. For the moment, I was his toy.

*TEAM*

Sophie's stomach dropped, she had heard the sound of mad of mind just as Anna had. She pushed Rosalie into Hardison's hands and grabbed car keys off the counter. It didn't matter that Nate and Eliot were going to beat her to Anna, he daughter was going to need her. "Where are you going?" Hardison called as Rosalie continued to climb all over him and Parker moved toward them.

She didn't reply, she just slammed the door behind her and went to the elevator. There was no way in hell that she was just going to sit there while Anna needed help.

Panting heavily, Nate was running down the east side of the building, throwing open every door he came across. He was having absolutely no luck on the east side like Hardison said to check. "Come on, Hardison, do you have any more information?"

Eliot came around the corner and saw him. "Okay, you take the North wing, I'll check the south," Nate commanded and they both took off again. They had to find her. They could hear her crying and fighting, but it was five against one and the five had the surprise advantage. Still, just hearing her panicked was enough to fuel his adrenalin to a near dangerous level.

She screamed and called for help. Nate felt his stomach churn. He had to get to her.

*Anna*

Hands were up my shirt and all over me. "Help!" I screamed again.

Another fist slammed into my face. _"Anna, can you tell me where you are?" _At the moment I couldn't even tell who was talking.

T-Bone had his fun and Dawg was next. Dawg was the real ring leader, but he let T-Bone think he was tough shit. Dawg was the intelligent one. He was the one that would do it. He'd rape me. It would be his job to teach me a lesson. He'd be the one to take away my power.

"Ther-therapy room four," I panted squeezing my eyes closed and tried to block everything else out. _Please hurry. _

Dawg was blowing his hot breath in my ear as he unzipped his zipper. "You're going to listen to and stop causing trouble, now aren't you?" his hand was running underneath my panties and I let out another scream.

His knees were bruising my thighs as he pried them apart and ripped at my shirt. I could hear the fabric ripping and I silently started praying.

"_Damn in, someone get in there now!"_ Sophie commanded. I could tell she was running. Separating each person's heavy breathing in my ear gave me something to focus on. Link Sophie's to her rhythm, Eliot to his, Nate to his, and Dawg to his.

"Come on, Priss. Beg," Dawg demanded as I tried to force everything out of my mind. I pushed him away. His arms that were bracing him came out from under him and he fell hard on top of me only making him angrier.

I grumbled and fought as he forced both my hands above my head and held me there. The other boys were laughing as my eyes continued to tear. It was only a matter of time.

Suddenly, he was thrown off of me and I heard the sound of him hitting the floor. My first priority was covering myself. Pulling up my shorts and rolling off the table. I curled into the corner as I watched two figures take out the five boys. Finally they all went running and I heard the sound of heels clicking against the tile in a mad sprint.

"Where is she?" the familiar British voice commanded as I tugged at my torn shirt to try and cover myself.

Sophie didn't wait for a response, she just pushed her way into the room.

*TEAM*

Nate had never ran so fast in his life, but the moment he opened that door to see the five boys towering over Anna and one on top of her, her shorts around her ankles. The boy's pants were down. Nate just reacted. With one hand he pulled the boy off of her and threw him into two other boys. Eliot had appeared behind him and grabbed the two boys on the left and nearly threw them out of the door, but not before punching both of them so hard they were going to be marks the next day.

Nate grabbed the guy that was on top of Anna and punched him. Then he brought him back and did it again and again until Eliot had to pull Nate away. They could hear Anna's heavy frantic breaths in the corner of the room as she struggled to calm herself.

Sophie appeared in the door way. Her dark eyes frantic as she searched the room for her daughter. "Where is she?" she demanded from them before hearing Anna's wheezing breaths as she wrapped her arms around herself. Her clothes were torn and shredded and the girl was staring at her bruised wrists as they tried to cover her body.

Slowly Sophie removed her jacket and put it around her daughter as she slowly brought her into her arms. Anna didn't move. "I'm here, baby. I'm here."

Eliot and Nate just stood there watching until Sophie was able to actually touch her. The first time Sophie reached out to her she flinched away. She was so broken and hurt. Finally, Anna reached out to her and held her head as she finally began to cry.

"Mom, I wanna go home," she choked out toward the ground. She sounded just like Rosalie. She sounded like she was in pieces.

Sophie pulled her into her arms on the floor of the disgusting building. "Of course, love."

Finally, Sophie looked to the two men in the room. Anna was not going to be able to get to her feet. She was in shock, complete and full blown shock. Eliot took the first step toward her, but Nate stopped him. He was her father.

Slowly, he moved toward them, cradled her in his arms and together they moved toward the car. Anyone who stood in their way was taken down by Eliot without so much as a blink of an eye from any of them. They were not going to play con with these people anymore. The game was over, Anna was hurt.

Rosalie greeted them at the door, bouncing up and down and let out an excited squeal to see her sister walking through the door. Parker held her back, noticing Anna's bruises and her blood shot eyes.

Sophie guided her back to her room while Nate tried to explain to Rose that Nana was not up for playing. Sophie sat Anna down on the bed and knelt down in front of her, trying so hard to make the girl look her in the eye. Still, she just stared at the floor.

"Sweetie," Sophie said softly so she didn't frighten the girl. "I'm going to help you out of these clothes and get you in your clothes, okay?"

Standing up, Sophie slowly lifted Anna's torn shirt over her head and kept herself from gasping at the swollen whelps covering her small brittle body. She looked like she hadn't eaten in days and by the way her body trembled it was probably true. It was official, Anna was never leaving her sight again.

"Mom?" Anna said in barely more than a whisper as Sophie pulled her silk robe around the girl's little frame.

Sophie stopped what she was doing and was back at eye level with her. Anna still wouldn't look up at her. "Can we go see Quinn sometime soon?" she asked.

Taking bother Anna's hands in her own, Sophie nodded. "Anything you want, dear. But how about I draw you a bath?"

Anna nodded slowly, but didn't let go of Sophie's hands. "Can I ask you a question?" She waited for nod before continuing. "You told me that this sometimes happens when—"

"I was twenty-nine," Sophie said quickly sighing with it. "The first time I was twenty-nine. Then when I was thirty-two. Actually twice when I was thirty-two."

That was enough for Anna. She threw her arms around Sophie's neck silently begged her to never let go. Sophie silently agreed as she held her tight. But something made Anna really angry, angrier than she may ever admit. Sophie wasn't supposed to be broken. She was suppose to be perfect, like one of those glass dolls that sat in china cabinet somewhere. Dusted and cared for regularly.

What Anna was too young to know, was that Sophie was broken in more pieces than she could count. That her broken pieces were some of the most important reasons why Sophie looked at Anna many months ago and knew she had to save her. She would hold her daughter and comfort her as long as she needed. She would put as many pieces of the broken puzzle back together until the only pieces she could put back were Quinn's job.

Sophie Devereaux was a mother, the mother of two perfect girls, and she loved them as is.

_**So, after the series finale, I think I really have some amazing ideas for this story… I can go further into the background of each character. I hope you enjoy this story and keep reading! Reviews are appreciated. **_


	69. Blind Emotion

_**Hope you all enjoy!**_

*Team*

Perhaps for the first time since they have known Anna, she is humbled as she sits before them accepting her punishment. Parker waits for her to fight and is almost more worried that she doesn't. She agrees to never take a solo con again, at least until everyone believes she is ready. She agrees to hand over her game systems, her comic books, her laptop, and even her cello as Nate and Sophie both take turns laying on the punishment.

"Do you realize how _stupid_ you were being for taking that on? I mean, damn it, Anna. One minute longer and…" he doesn't finish, just shakes his head.

"Yes, sir," she mutters and there's a bit of bite in her voice.

"Damn it, Anna, we're just worried about you. You pull these stupid stunts and they're rookie mistakes. You are smarter than this!" Sophie kept on. She had been the supportive protector, now it was time for her to be the disciplinarian.

"I know, ma'am," Anna agreed just as before.

"You really don't think, do you?" Sophie snapped as Parker offered Rosalie her hand and took her out of the living area of the suite and to one of the bedrooms. She knew it would be a while until this lecture was over and Rosalie didn't need to sit there and watch her sister's punishment.

"I was thinking that girl needed help! You would have help-"

Sophie glared at Anna so harshly that it silenced her. "Dare I say how much longer I have been doing this? Since before you were _born!_" The fact made her feel a bit old, but she tried to ignore that.

Nate was starting to take a step back, sensing that Sophie had more to say than he did. Considering Sophie was the one that stayed with Anna the whole night, talking to her and making her feel better, he was pretty surprised by the sudden turn around. But then again, Sophie's worry can quickly turn to anger when someone does something stupid. She was done nursing Anna's wounds, now it was to make sure Anna didn't do it again.

"If you wanted to help her-"

"I shoulda called you? And admitted that I can't do anything without your help?" Anna snapped, now on her feet. Hardison and Eliot were both watching like it was a tennis match, even Nate was sitting on the couch next to them now.

"I think you already proved that!" Sophie snapped back crossing her arms over her chest. "Look, I just want what's best for you-"

Anna rolled her eyes dramatically. "Oh, yes, mother. Whatever."

Whatever. That terrible awful term that Sophie didn't even know would make her so angry.

"Whatever?! You were nearly-" She couldn't say the word. It wasn't a word that people liked to say, especially people who had experienced it or nearly experienced it. "You were lucky Nate and Eliot got there."

"I'm sorry! Okay? What else do you want me to say? I was wrong? Yes, I was wrong. I should've called you. But you would've tried to help her too!" Anna grumbled still sparking with fight.

Sophie on the other hand looked like she was tired of arguing. "Go to your room, I don't want to see you out of that room until lunch."

Parker swung Rosalie and playfully tossed her on the bed. Parker started tickling and her giggles covered the sounds of Sophie and Nate's lecture. One that Parker thought she could hear Eliot joining in on too.

Rosalie kept giggling until she managed to free herself. She reached for her pink blanket. "Nana's home, Pawker!" Rose told her happily as she bounced back to her.

On a typical day, Rose was a Daddy's girl. Nate was her favorite person in the world, but she had so much love for everyone else that it didn't matter. When Parker thought about it, it was actually kinda funny. Anna was a Momma's girl and Rose was a Daddy's girl, yet they obviously love both people. She didn't really understand how that worked, but she didn't mind.

It was also weird how much she had learned to love being called "Pawker". In a way, Rose nearly sounded like Sophie when she said it. Her r's were hard for her, and Hardison's name was really hard for her to say so she started calling him Sun which eventually turned into Sunny. Eliot, Sophie, and Nate were easy for her. Anna would probably always be Nana to her.

"Yes, but Anna is in big trouble. She did something really dumb," Parker told Rose, rolling over to her back on the bed and lift Rose to where the where she looked like she was flying with her pink blanket in her hand. Parker lowered her back down and tied the pink blanket around her neck before raising her up again. "You're Super Rose now!"

Rosalie beamed and put her hands out superman style. "Do I have powers?"

"Yup," said a voice from the door. "You have the power to learn for your sister's mistakes." Nate was extremely sarcastic and irritable as Parker flew Rosalie over to Nate and passed her along.

"So Anna's in a lot of trouble?" Parker asked as Rosalie asked Nate to make her fly. He groaned know at both of them. Rosalie's new wanting to fly thing is killing his shoulders while Anna's pretty well killing the rest of him.

"Anna is in," he shifts Rosalie into a better position so he can make her fly, "a whole hell of a lot of trouble. Sophie was comforting last night, but today… let's just say avoid her if possible."

Just then they heard two doors slam, one right after another. Like mother, like daughter. Nate groaned again and lowered Rosalie. "Momma and Nana are not in the best of moods," he told her.

Eliot walked past him. Poor guy was going to have to spent time in a hotel suite with two drama queens and a toddler. Two drama queens, a toddler and an ex Jesuit seminary student in a suite. It almost sounds like a bad joke.

"You're gunna have fun!" Hardison told Nate, placing a not so supportive pat on his shoulder.

Nate glared at him until he removed his hand. Suddenly Parker glanced toward the ceiling and Phantom's ears perked. Everyone knew what that meant: Anna's in the vents most likely with her iPod. Her headphones probably so loud that she wouldn't be able to hear a fire alarm.

Sophie's dramatic groan comes next along with the squeak of a mattress she most likely just collapsed on. "Anna Devereaux!" Sophie called, using her new name. "I swear if you don't get out of there-"

"You'll what?" Anna snapped back. "Send Parker?"

Everyone on the floor (and possibly the floor above them) could probably hear them now. Nate braced himself before slowly turning the door knob to Sophie's room and see her kicking off her heels.

He stared at her as she stepped on to the desk and pulled the vent out of the ceiling. "What are you doing?"

His tone was enough to bring the other three members of the team rushing over to see that the grifter had completely lost her mind. She was barefoot and shifting herself into position to pull herself into the air vent.

"Momma?" Rosalie asked sounding just as confused as Nate. "You okay?"

Fury was radiating off of Sophie as she tried to calm herself for the little one's sake. "Momma just needs to talk some sense into Nana." She glanced up that the vent and quietly added, "or drag her out and kick her ass."

Eliot and Hardison both seemed to lean back and enjoy the show while Parker decided to help Sophie out, but Sophie replied that she had been a few air vents before and didn't elaborate further before pulling herself into the vent.

Nate looked toward the heavens as everyone watches with extreme interest. Sophie Devereaux was climbing into a vent. The only person who didn't seem completely surprise was Nate, and that was because he knew that Sophie was not a very good person to piss off. She tends to have an extreme amount of ambition when she gets pissed off.

*Anna*

My music is blaring as I lay in the vent, my head resting in the crook of my arm as I silently brew in my anger. Suddenly my headphones were ripped out of my ears and I jumped, slamming my head into the top of the air vent. The surprise of staring into the dark brown eyes of Sophie Devereaux was a good cure for a headache though.

I growled. "Seriously?"

Sophie folder her hands under her chin raised her eyebrows at me. "Hello," she said, her voice dripping with irritation and sarcasm.

"Angry?" I was poking the animal.

Sophie didn't bite. "Just a bit. By the way, your turn to do laundry," she retorted referring to her dusty clothes. She kept studying me, her eyes still angry, but her face was calmer. Probably because she was just as surprised as I was that she actually climbed in after me.

Really, I don't think either of us knew what we were supposed to do now that we're both laying in vents.

"I think- I think I'll just go back to my room," I said awkwardly sliding my palms against my the metal vents and began to crawl backwards to escape.

"Before you go," Sophie said holding out her hand.

I groaned and slapped my iPod into it. So it was time to stare blankly at the tan walls and gradually accept that I am screwed until further notice. Freaking awesome.

*TEAM*

Sophie slid out of the vent with surprising grace, with the help of Nate guiding her by the hips and softening her landing. She gave him a satisfied look and held out Anna's iPod with pride. He took it from her and shook his head, not hiding his humored look.

"You climbed in a vent to take away her iPod?" Eliot asked her, sounding absolutely sure the woman had lost her marbles. This is what parenthood does to people.

She looked a little less smug, but not by much. "Actually, I climbed in a vent to prove to her I can, and after that I was playing it by ear."

She dusted herself off while Parker beamed at her, truly impressed. The grifter had gained a whole new level of respect from her. The team seemed to forget that Sophie used to have to take care of herself and climbing through an air duct or two sometimes ended up being a plan G. It wasn't her favorite ending to a con.

Hardison just shook his head and muttered that they were all crazy. Maybe they were a little crazy, but hell, no one could say they were boring.

Sophie exhaled and pulled her hair into a pony tail. "Are you all staying for a few more days or are you leaving right away?"

Parker immediately replied that she and Hardison were definitely staying, before bashfully looking up at him to be sure when she realized that she needed to be sure he was okay with it. Sophie seemed pleased with her remembering other people and Hardison didn't argue. Eliot hesitated slightly but eventually agreed to stay as well. He wasn't quite ready to leave Anna yet. She was crawling into one of her shells that took a bulldozers to open and he was also keeping Quinn updated on her.

It was weird at first, but Eliot was gradually realizing that Quinn truly cared a great deal about Anna. He was currently in Jerusalem on a recovery job. One of his only comments was that Holy Lands pay very well. When Eliot gave him the clipnotes version of Anna's solo con he nearly jump on a plane and headed to Detroit. Eliot promised to keep him updated.

Eliot pulled out his cell phone and checked his messages. Sure enough, there was one from Quinn.

**Anna doing ok?-Quinn**

Eliot smirked at his concern.

**Pissin off Nate n Soph. Sophie even climbed n2 a vent after her. Rly funny actually. Other than that, she's quiet. –Eliot**

**Quiet good or bad?-Quinn**

**From experience? Very bad. –Eliot**

He looked at Anna's door as he passed. Then he had an idea. He knocked on the door, but there was no answer. He didn't worry too much because he could hear the sound of her moving against her blankets.

"Get dressed in running clothes," Eliot snapped, not stopping to ask Nate and Sophie if it was alright. There was no response and he didn't hear her footsteps either. "You have ten minutes to be dressed and ready or I'm coming in and dressing you myself, damn it."

Nate gave Eliot a raised eyebrow but seemed to find this a bit funny.

*ANNA*

I rolled my eyes and sat up on the bed. Why couldn't they just leave me alone? I grabbed the bag of clothes Sophie had retrieved for me and pulled out my running shoes, shorts, and a wet/dry top. Running didn't sound like an awful idea, but I really wanted to be alone.

Still, I had no doubt that Eliot would force me into my running clothes if I didn't change. Yet, as I stood there in my sleeveless running shirt, shorts and shoes I wanted to hide again. You could see every bruise so plainly. My purple wrists, my reblackened eye, perfect finger prints on the inside of my thighs, and rings around my ankles.

No. I didn't want to leave like this.

I reached into my bag and started to look for a hoodie or a jacket and some sweat pants. It was early May and it even sounded to me like a bad idea to wear this stuff out, but I didn't want people to see my bruises. I grabbed for my makeup and started to try and cover the black eye. There was really no fixing it though.

"One minute, Anna!" Eliot called and I groaned.

Throwing open the door I strutted into the living room, my attitude raging. Sophie didn't even look back at me, she was probably angry enough she didn't even want to look at me, but Rosalie bolted from her arms and I received the first proper hug from my sister in over two weeks. I pulled her into my arms and snuggled her tight.

"Did you miss me?" she asked sweetly.

"More than you could ever imagine!" I replied spinning her around. Her cheerful giggles melted away most of my anger and I kissed her forehead. Sophie and Nate both glanced toward us as Rose rested her forehead on mine and pouted at me.

Her small hand reached out and touched the purple on my face. "You hurt?"

I shrugged. "I'll heal."

Eliot came around the corner and gave me a funny look. "You cannot wear that. You'll have a heat stroke."

*Team*

Nate, Sophie and Eliot noticed her posture change to a much more defensive position. It really bothered them to see that. It was a sign of her withdrawing from them. Sophie inwardly cursed, but she wasn't wrong in her punishment. Anna deserved to get her ass chewed out. If she ever dared to do anything close to that ever again, Sophie would probably kill her. Or lock her away in a tower somewhere.

Nate on the other hand also noticed how she was pulling on the sleeves of her jacket. It must have shrunk in the wash because he noticed the sleeves were a little short.

"We can go to an inside track," she muttered.

Eliot gave her a get real look. "Come on. Just take off the jacket and pants and let's go. I don't have time for this."

She looked up at him, her big brown eyes looking even more pitiful thanks to the bruise covering a large part of her cheek bone. Finally she shredded the layers and stood infront of them in her shorts and sleeveless shirt.

"Can we please not go out like this?" she asked him not sounding fragile but falling into her aggressiveness that she always had when she was getting desperate.

"Let's go," Eliot said sternly. The kid looked like hell, but she was going to have to live with it for the moment.

They ran three miles, Anna a good length ahead the entire way. She was a better runner than he was and normally she paced him, but she was focused. In fact he had to ask her to stop after three miles, she probably would have gone as far as eight after her day. Her past two days.

He led her to a gym nearby. It was really just a hole in the wall where amateur fighters went, but it was a good place for Eliot to teach Anna some lessons. She's was a very bright, sweet, charming girl. These boys in the pen where about to get a rude awakening.

Eliot wrapped her hands and wrists before leading her over to the punching bag. "Keep your hands up," he commanded as she made her first few hits. She was ignoring him. Her arm too low to protect her face, so he made it a point.

As she came for another hit, Eliot swung at her from behind the bag and hit her in the face. It was barely more than a tap, but it got her attention. "Keep your arm up!" he told her and this time she grudgingly obeyed.

She hit the bag again and block Eliot's attempt at hitting her. He glanced over his shoulder at the ring. "Come on, Ann, it's time I'm not so easy on you."

She watched at he climbed into the ring, daring to take a step after him. She climbed in and rubbed her wrists. The other guys in the ring were staring at her like she was crazy. Finally, Eliot pointed to one of the largest guys in the room. "You. Get up here."

The guy looked hesitant, but Eliot wasn't the type of person you argue with. He stepped into the ring and looked over at Anna. "Anything goes," Eliot told the boy before looking over at Anna. "You have to fight clean though."

She rolled her eyes. She wasn't scared of some twenty something year old fighter. Then Eliot pointed to the other two boys that were standing near the big guy and had them join us in the ring too. Finally he added one of the smallest and fastest guys.

"You four against her. If you four beat her, you get," he checked his wallet. "One fifty each."

The boys looked at him. "We ain't fightin no girl for a dollar fifty."

Eliot rolled his eyes. "A hundred fifty. I'm not too worried."

Anna looked around the boys that stood about a head taller than her. "And what do I get?" she asked raising her eyebrow.

"A good report to your parents and maybe you'll learn something!" The _so this doesn't happen again_ fell through in the conversation but it was well heard by the person who needed to hear it.

The boys grudgingly agreed and Anna tried to hide the fact she was nervous. Four trained fighters against one girl, not what most people would call a fair fight. Then again, Anna wasn't most girls either.

Eliot stayed in the ring, but he knew Anna could do this. She was light on her feet and fast. The boys were quick, but they were not the same type of fighters as Anna. They were trained to take down, Anna was trained to survive.

The largest boy struck first. Anna twisted her body to the left, grabbed extended arm, planted her feet and reacted fast. Her right fist hit under his chin before her elbow crashed into his throat. In another quick second he was being shot back into the group of boys by her foot in his abdomen. Eliot was actually impressed. He didn't teach her that.

She took the offensive and took out two of the other boys by using their weight against each other and slamming their skulls together. The smallest boy tapped out before he was even touched.

Anna turned to the other boys who were crawling out of the ring. She was one hell of a fighter, so how come she couldn't fight the other boys?

Eliot squared off to her and she did the same. He didn't both to tell her that she had a bit of blood scattered across her face where the boys' noses were bleeding, but that would be a story for later.

Eliot took the first swing, Anna never willing to be the first offensive. That was just her though. The only time she took the lead in offense was when she was using her grifting. No one ever doubted her skills as a grifter, they were amazing. They just doubted her cognitive thinking at times. Her teenage impulse was her largest weakness. Once she grew out of that, he almost worried that she would attract too much attention from the other thieves and grifters in the world. No one liked competition.

Eliot swung again and Anna ducked, swinging her leg around at his feet. Her foot work was really impressive.

"Why couldn't you have done that yesterday?" Eliot asked watching her face for a reaction.

He didn't get one.

"Five against one. I was sleeping. Gagged and bound. You wouldn't 've done much better," she snapped in reply.

Suddenly she turned offensive, moving faster than Eliot expected. She was striking fast, but she was leaving way too much of herself vulnerable for attack. Eliot decided to teach her a lesson. As she moved to strike again, he grabbed her head and shoved a fist into her stomach before flipping her over and hearing her hit her back with a smack.

He could tell he knocked the wind out of her. He decided that this was enough for now.

Everyone watched as Eliot helped her back onto her feet.

"You get blinded by emotion," he told her as they walked out together. "You and Nate have that in common."

She glanced at him. "Nate's a mastermind," she said as though it meant something.

"And you're a stubborn kid. You need to stop using emotion when you're fighting. Have you _ever_ seen Sophie lose character? That's because she separates her emotions. That's what you need to start doing."

He knew she did not understand this, but eventually she would. This would become a great skill she would use in future years. This would be what she would teach Rosalie when she was learning to con. It was self control.

"Where'd you learn that first move from? The elbow chin-" Eliot began thinking back to how perfectly she executed it.

She was about to answer when there was a voice behind them. "I thought I'd teach her a few things while we were working together."

Anna spun around and beamed at the familiar face. She was reminding herself to remain calm, but that was so hard to do when she hadn't seen him in a month. Eliot just shook his head and waited for the other hitter to catch up.

He casually draped his arm around Anna's shoulders as they continued walking together, ignoring the hellish look Eliot was giving him. Did he really expect Quinn to not check on Anna?

"You look a little rough," he told her lightly. "By the way, there's a little blood on your head. Not you're though."

Anna dragged her wrapped hand across her forehead and pretended she didn't care. Quinn was not obviously studying her bruises, and already he wanted to kill someone, but Eliot assured him the situation was being dealt with. Detective Bonnano was calling in a few favors.

As they made it back to the extremely high priced hotel, Eliot stopped Quinn but instructed Anna to go on. She replied with an eye roll.

"You know, Nate's going to kill you right? He's probably going to kill me," Eliot grumbled as they stood in the lobby.

When Quinn gave him an innocent look, Eliot shook his head. "You better hope you have Sophie on your side or you may be walking out with a little extra lead."

Quinn didn't reply. Mostly because it didn't really matter what he had to say. He was there for Anna, or maybe it was for himself. He just had to know Anna was alright. "Tell Anna I said bye," he told Eliot, the emotion registering in his voice. "And take care of her."

With that, Quinn walked back toward the front doors. Anna wasn't going to be happy Quinn just left like that, but she would understand better than he would like to give her credit for. Quinn didn't want to disrupt the family and Anna knew she was in trouble too.

As Eliot hit the button for the elevator, he took a deep breath. He loved that spitfire, but she definitely kept him on his toes.

_**I couldn't leave Quinn out, but no one quite knows where he fits, other than near Anna. So he and Anna's story may be a very interesting one. But I'm currently getting some fluff idea pieces for a Christmas Edition that takes place in 2024 when Anna is 30. I'm not sure if I'll put it out, but it's just some fun possibilities. And what did you think about Sophie crawling in the vent? It was just a bit of angry Sophie I loved. **_


	70. Dreams of Us

_**Can you believe it? Chapter 70? Wow, I don't even think I expected this story to go so far! Happy New Year everyone! **_

*ANNA*

Rose and I jumped around the living room of our new house. Two story, Victorian style and it already had Sophie artistic touch. My bedroom even had a bay window seat! It was the perfect! The kind of house that I would dream about when I was younger.

"We gunna stay forever, Momma?" Rose asked as Phantom came trotting in behind Sophie and the woman, Patty, who sold us the house. The poor woman was maybe in her twenties with her hair a bottle bleach blonde. She has obviously never dealt with children before or large animals because she was looking at Rosalie and Phantom like they may attack at any moment.

"Not forever, love, just for a while," Sophie replied vaguely, not about to tell the woman she had no intent on staying more than a few months. In fact, buying a house in Portland was Nate's idea and after a little (a lot) of convincing, Sophie agreed.

Nate's went something like, "The girls hadn't had much stability in their lifetime and a home they could call their own was probably the best idea." Of course, she was even less happy about the fact Nate had decided to spend the week we went house shopping looking for a boat instead. He requested that we avoided anything too "spectacular", a two car garage, and a nice backyard. So of course Sophie had to infuriate him by having Patty take us to some of the finest estates in the Portland area.

Since Sophie, I'm sorry, Rachel Camille, had excellent credit and had a tendency of flaunting her wealth, Patty took her to all the best houses on the market. One even had an indoor pool, eight bedrooms, a guest house, _and_ the master bedroom had a living room inside of it. Even I didn't know what to do with all that space.

Nate nearly died when she sent him pictures and had me play along that this was most definitely the house we wanted. The price tag was more than a quadruple what we got our lovely new home for.

The movers had already brought in everything and even set it up. Apparently if you have money you really don't have to worry about anything but your personal items. Rose and I were ecstatic to have a real house with a backyard and even a tree swing.

Sophie was already complaining about Portland weather and her hair, but Nate assured her this was a temporary fix.

"Is Daddy gonna come see us?" Rosalie asked as she skipped over to Sophie and wrapped her arms around her legs.

Sophie sighed. "Don't know yet, sweetie."

Patty looked at Sophie with sympathy, obviously thinking that some man had left her alone with two children. One a horrid teenager and the other a toddler. This obviously didn't fall into this pristine woman's ideal life. She kept eyeing Sophie in a mix between envy and sympathy, probably wondering why a woman like her would be alone raising two kids with such an age difference.

I studied Patty. Her shoes were expensive, but not like Sophie expensive who was currently wearing her seventeen hundred dollar heels in designer jeans and wearing her favorite summer top, not to mention the Pandora charm bracelet Rose and I got her for Mother's Day. The fact that even Rosalie's dress was probably pretty evenly priced next to Patty's shoes, the woman was probably intimidated as well.

"Well, here's the key. The password on the security system has been updated," Patty told Sophie handing her a new key chain and several folders. "Just call if you need anything at all."

Sophie and I said our pleasant goodbyes and Phantom circled the house, taking in everything new. Now I hadn't seen my room since Sophie had refurnished it and had it set up. All that I had to do was unpack my clothes.

I turned to her, unable to hide my excitement. She only laughed and beckoned for me to follow her as we headed up the steps. "Let's go see your rooms." Rosalie held Sophie's hand as she led the way. "Rose's room first," she announced, probably wanting to be able to take in each of our reactions without interruption.

Sophie turned around and smiled at us as she held her hand on the door knob. Rose hand her thumb in her mouth (a habit we all were working on her kicking) and her blanket in hand as our mom studied her. "Ready, little love?"

Rosalie removed her hand from her mouth and nodded, jumping and up and down. Sophie threw the door open to children's room that most definitely fit Rose's personality. There was about five steps that pulled out into drawers leading up to a bed that was parallel to a wall and right below it were shelves with another bed perpendicular. The comforter was pastel pink and white. On the far wall "ROSALIE" was spelled out in wooden letters and on the frame of the bed the words "Always Remember To Kiss Me Goodnight" was painted in gold.

There were several toys in her room, but Sophie had decided to merge my music, Rose's playing, and Sophie's writing/painting/and reading into one room, labeling it the activity room. I was still grounded from my cello, but Sophie had promised me a baby grand piano when we moved into a place large enough. This place was definitely large enough.

Rosalie ran into her room and crawled onto the bed and started jumping, careful not to get under the other bunk or fall off. Sophie laughed and walked further into the room. "Like it?"

"It's pretty, Momma!" Rosalie told her joyously.

She jumped off the bed and ran to wrap her arms around Sophie's legs "See what Momma got me, Nana?" she asked with her head resting against Sophie's thighs. I nodded and she looked back up at our mom. "When's Daddy comin' home?"

Sophie sighed. "He should be here soon enough, but Nana's still wanting to see her room."

It was easy to tell Rose was really starting to tire and Sophie pulled her into her arms and carried her out of the room for now. The house actually had five bedrooms. The two extra bedrooms had be transformed into guest bedrooms, but you could tell that one was aimed toward Parker, expecting her to show up randomly and crash like she used to at Nate's and the other was set up kind of generically.

Finally, we moved toward the room at the furthest side of the house. It was on the opposite side of the house from the master bedroom and the only reason I chose it was because of the bay window. There were other qualities that Sophie liked. Like the airy living area, the library, the large kitchen, and she especially loved the Victorian style. I personally wanted it for my own bay window.

Sophie shifted Rose on her hip and pushed the door to my bedroom open and I nearly gasped with surprise. It was very vintage but it was very me. The bed was on a metal frame, probably antique, and the quilt was patch work of places we had gone since I been with her. She used things that I loved into it as well. Sheet music titles of my favorite books. The thing must have cost a pretty penny. "Wow…" I gasped as I stepped in. There was a classic looking chair in the corner and shelves covered the walls, already stocked with pictures and books. The bay window seat had be redone into a cream material with neutral toned pillows. It was so perfect!

Then as I turned toward the door, I noticed Teddy. The bear I asked her to throw away so long ago was sitting on a shelf waiting for me. I looked at her in surprise. I reached out and took Teddy in my hands.

Sophie watched me as I held him under my chin and looked up at her. "Thanks for not throwing him away," I say softly giving her a small smile.

Sophie just smiled back as I placed Teddy on my bed and watched as Phantom claimed a place on the crème rug on the hardwood floor. As I moved around the room, I looked at the private bathroom. It had a large claw foot bathtub with a shower head. It was official. Sophie had the best interior design skills I had ever seen.

She opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted. "Hellllllloooooo? Anybody home?"

I looked at Sophie and she rolled her eyes. Of course Parker would stop by.

I ran down the stairs and beamed at the familiar blond thief testing out the feel of the house. "I think I like it! You could probably jump over the banister-"

Sophie cleared her throat and nodded at Rose who was listening intently to Parker. We already had one close call this week when she climbed the bookcase in the local bookstore and took a daring leap. I definitely applaud Sophie's reflexes on that one, especially catching her with one arm and not dumping her hot tea on herself, Rose, or the floor. The last thing we needed was her jumping over the banister, twelve feet to injury.

Parker gave her a quizzical look but moved toward the kitchen, already claiming the highest cabinet for her cereal, stuffing two boxes of Fruit Loops and Frosted Flakes in the bare cupboards. Sophie invited the others to join for a house warming party, which meant we just spent some time together because it really sucked being apart, but Hardison had a cold that he didn't want to share with anybody and Eliot was actually not able to be contacted at the moment which we all chuck off to him doing one of his "top secret" jobs.

Parker jumped over the back of the new couch and made herself at home as Rosalie kept standing by the door with Phantom waiting for Nate to come home.

Parker looked at Rose. "It's weird," she said finally as she reached for the remote and flipped on the TV.

I gave her a funny look as she flipped through the channels before she finally decided on some TV show called Snapped. "What's weird?"

"You and Rose, you actually kinda look like Nate and Sophie," she said plainly, shrugging as she pulled out her bowl of cereal.

We did, and yeah it was odd. There has been several times where women would comment how cute it was the Rosalie got her curls from her father. Or when Sophie would take Rose and I out shopping, they would comment on how we all had the same eyes and skin tone. Maybe this really was planned out by a high power.

Sophie was on the phone, most likely trying to get a hold of Nate. He'd been gone for a week and Rosalie was getting restless to see her father. Soon Sophie would be taking a couple of weeks away from us and travel. When she would return, Nate would go out on the boat he bought. It really bothered me that all of us wouldn't be together again until October 1, for my birthday party.

Finally the lights of a vehicle shown through the windows and we all jumped up when we heard the door of the car close.

"Daddy!" Rosalie cheered, both hands placed on the windows as she jumped up and down. She knew better than to open the door and run out to him, so she impatiently waited as she kept her jumping. Sophie couldn't help but laugh as Nate opened the door and was nearly climbed by the little girl.

"Well hello!" he laughed not even able to put down his bag yet as Rose used his suitcase as something to get her a little bit close to climb into Nate's arms.

"Daddy, look what Momma got!" Rosalie exclaimed referring to the large house.

Sophie leaned over to kiss his lips as Parker and I waited patiently to be noticed. "She did a good job," Nate mused before whispering something to Sophie that made her cheeks blush pink. It was probably something I was glad I didn't hear. Finally, he looked at me and Parker. He dropped his bag and offered me a half hug and gave Parker a pat on the shoulder.

"Did you cause any trouble while I was gone?" Nate asked casting a look at Rose first then a harder one at me.

Sophie put her hand on my arm. "Nope, they were actually pretty well behaved."

Rosalie fell asleep not long after Nate came home and the rest of us made ourselves comfortable in the living area. Parker looked outside as rain tinked against the glass. "It rains a lot here," she commented.

Sophie groaned. "Don't I know it. It does terrible things to my hair. I've had try a new hair spray," she complained running her hand over her dark hair.

"You? Try having curly hair!" I grumbled in reply.

Sophie gave me an empathic look. "We'll go out tomorrow and get some new hair supplies."

Nate rolled his eyes as he examined picture of boats. "Which one do you like, Ann?"

I looked over his shoulder at the picture on the table. They all kinda looked the same. "Uhh… I don't know," I mumbled wishing I could help.

He nodded, understanding that my knowledge of all things boaty was not much. Parker and I watched TV keeping a mild conversation about all the adventures she and Hardison had already been on.

"But we're dating," she said finally with a nonchalant shrug.

Sophie looked around Nate at her, very pleased. "Congratulations, Parker, I'm very proud of you."

Parker took this with pride before pausing the movie we were watching and turning her full attention to Sophie and Nate. "So, are you two dating?" she deadpanned not getting near as much enjoyment out of their shock as I was. Sophie nearly choked on the wine she was swallowing as well as spilt the glass on Nate and our new white couch. Red wine lover buying a white couch was not a good idea. Then again, a mother of a two year old buying a white couch… I could already see Sophie regretting her decision.

"Wh-what?" Sophie said honestly surprised.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Come on. I mean, you two are our parents. Ya practically live together. You go out to dinner alone. You.. well… let's not talk about that. You're dating," I finalized for them.

To be honest, it seemed like they were all but married. I mean, how much closer to married can you get? I really don't understand people. If you care about people quit your damn tap dancing, especially when you've been doing it for over two years. How many people can still claim they're "just sleeping together" when they have two adopted children together?

Sophie and Nate glanced at each other. "So, I guess we're dating…" Nate said awkwardly as he put an affectionate hand on her knee.

Once again, I rolled my eyes. "Suck the romance right outta that, didn't ya?"

Sophie chuckled fondly and put her hand on Nate's chest. "It's alright, Anna. He's not the best at romantic gestures, but that's not all that important."

He pulled her under his arm and the sat together for a while until Parker and I excused ourselves for bed.

*Team*

Sophie leaned down and mumbled a sweet goodnight to the youngest child in the house before she disappeared up the steps too.

Nate scooped Rosalie off the couch and carried her into her new bedroom while Sophie got ready for bed. Part of him already hated the fact Rose had a loft bed, waiting for the day she tries to take a leap off of that, but he can't help be really think Sophie did a great job.

He changed the little girl in her favorite pajamas and pulled back the comforter to gently lay her down. She was woke, but only enough to know that her father was putting her in bed.

"Daddy, I wanna stay up with you," she whined, trying to kick off the blankets.

"Shh," he said softly as she whined with her sleep. She calmed at the soft touch of him stroking her hair. "I'm going to bed, but I'll wake you up in the morning and we'll make Momma and Nana crapes and you and I can have pancakes."

She rubbed her eyes and looked like she was seconds away from sleep. "And Pawker?"

Nate smiled. "And Parker."

He pulled the blankets up to her chin and kissed her forehead. When he started to get close to Anna, he didn't know what he had done in life to deserve it, but now having two amazing girls, life just seemed to have a little more purpose. He didn't tell Sophie, but he was trying to drink less, for all of them. It was really time he started making changes.

He knocked on Parker's door and the door swung open, revealing the thief in her shorts and pajamas. "Just checking on you, need anything?" Nate said awkwardly, expecting her to already be in bed. The girl was usually asleep when her head hit the pillow, but apparently she hadn't gotten that far.

"Yup! I'm good!" Parker chirped. "'Night, Nate!"

He watched her close the door. "Night."

Rubbing the back of his neck her pushed the door open to his new bedroom and took it in. It was actually pretty similar to what her old bedroom looked like. She really liked crimson red, he decided noticing the same comforter that she had in her appartment. But then again, anytime she wore red she pretty well stole the attention of every man. Not that it was all that unusual, it was just extremely noticeable when she was in red.

The light in the bathroom turned off and she appeared in the door way wearing a black teddy. She stretched her arm up the side of the frame. Nate was a bit surprised, but only a bit, and that was probably because he was tired.

Nate quickly shut the door behind him and watched as she walked toward him, her hips swaying in a very deliberate motion as she pulled his shirt out of his pants and started undoing the buttons. He leaned down to kiss her, which she much obliged to. It was official, she missed him.

"Like the new house?" she purred as they continued their tango, he body shivering as he ran a hand up her side. They heat in the room was intensifying. Both of their eyes were dilated as they stumbled to the bed.

"You did a great job," he commented as she pushed him onto his back, her knees resting on either side of his hips. Nate sat up against the head board and kissed her intently as his hands moved up underneath the teddy. She was beautiful, perfect. Her hands caressed his shoulders as she rocked her hips against his. She moaned into his mouth and she could feel what she was doing to him. Suddenly he flipped her onto her back and took control.

Thirty minutes later they were both still sweaty and naked as they in each other's arms. "Anna hasn't been sleeping," Sophie said suddenly. Their bedroom was where all the conversations about their children were held, at least most of the time. "I bed you my favorite heels she's in her room reading or listening to music, anything so she doesn't fall asleep."

Nate frowned, making note to check on her before Sophie left in a few days. "Rose has been a daredevil lately. Climbed a shelf in Borders and jumped," she rubbed her shoulder at the memory. She didn't even know she could move that fast. Finally, she looked up at Nate and kissed his jaw. "Are you going to be able to handle them while I'm gone?"

Nate resisted a smile at her maternal worry. "Anna helps with Rosalie and I'm sure you'll be getting phone calls from your oldest saying how much she's ready for you to come home."

This did not help Sophie at all. "Maybe I should ask Anna to come along. I'll teach her some-"

Nate held her a little tighter. "Soph, stop worrying. Take you couple of weeks or month, or two months if you'd like and I'll take mine."

Sophie looked up at him, but didn't argue. As much as she didn't want to spend all that time apart, she knew it was a safety precaution. They'd already been together too much over the hiatus and with the other members of the team coming and going sporadically they really needed to be separated as well.

"I don't want to be your girlfriend," she said suddenly, shocking Nate to a point of nearly being completely awake.

"What?" he asked, shifting to get a better view of her.

Sophie didn't budge from her comfortable position on his chest. "I don't want to be your girlfriend. The term sounds juvenile."

Nate relaxed a little. He nearly had a panic attack when she just blurted it out like that. "Okay, what do you want to be?" he asked, almost teasing. Sophie and her terminology.

She was quiet for a moment before sliding her leg over his body and moving as close to him as physically possible. "I want to be your lover," she whispered before leaning in and kissing his lips.

He pulled her into his arms and held her there until they both drifted off sleep. Dreaming of what being lovers meant. Dreaming of them.

*Anna*

I kept flipping through the pages of _To Kill a Mockingbird _one of my all time favorite books before finally tossing the book to the side of the bed and reaching for my cell phone.

**You up?-Anna**

The reply was almost instant.

**Yeah, but why are you? It's three in the morning.-Quinn**

**Can't sleep. Just wanted someone to talk to.-Anna**

Less than a minute later, my phone began to ring. I smiled at the familiar number.

"You didn't have to call," I whispered, making sure I didn't disturb anyone in the house as I moved to my bay window.

"_I know. Just thought I'd check on you," _Quinn said sounding sleepy. There was something about the way he sounded when he was tired that made me smile. _"Still having nightmares?"_

Just like that, my smile was gone. I could have taken those guys if I hadn't been asleep, but I fell asleep and now it scared me. I was scared that I would be taken again or wake up and still be in that house. When I did fall asleep, the nightmares were always there.

"Yeah," I whispered back.

"_I wish there was something I could do,"_ he said sounding honest about it.

I wished he was with me then. I felt safe with him around. "I know. Me too." As I looked down at the view from my window I imagined Quinn standing below it in a very Romeo and Juliet type of way. Trust me when I say I am usually a romantic, Jonah made sure he shot that horse in the face, but Quinn made me wish I was.

Then I heard a very deep, calm voice singing something through my phone. _"Hush-a-by, don't you cry. Go to sleep, my baby. And when you wake. You shall have cake. And all the pretty little ponies."_

I smiled. "Are you singing me a lullaby?" I teased, but to be honest it was making me have butterflies in my stomach.

"_My mom used to say they kept nightmares away. I only know the one verse though." _He sounded embarrassed, but I walked over to my bed and crawled underneath the covers.

"Will you sing it again?" I asked, putting the phone on speaker and laying it near my head.

He hesitated, but then I heard the low purr of his voice. "_Hush-a-by, don't you cry. Go to sleep my baby…"_

That night, he probably sang that song ten times before I finally drifted off to sleep. And he was right, that night there was no nightmares. Only dreams of him. Dreams of us.

_**So, next chapter, Nate is being the single parent for once. I need some more ideas for the hiatus so if you have some please let me know! Please let me know what you think. **_


	71. Doing It Alone

_**You all ready for some single parenting by Nate? Hmmm…**_

*Anna*

Sophie was buzzing around in a mad panic. She had written Nate a spiral bond notebook full of information on Rosalie and me. Stuff from what Rosalie should NOT eat or drink (like orange soda) to what to take away first if I get in trouble (my Xbox). Nate kept reminding her that this wasn't his first rodeo, but Sophie kept reminding him that no one is around to help him saddle his horse. No Eliot or Parker or Hardison to take over if he was overwhelmed or needed a drink.

"Mom, I got his back," I teased as she fluffed her hair.

She gave me a weary look and scooped up Rosalie. "You be good for Daddy and listen to your sister," Sophie told her as Rose wrapped her arms around Sophie's neck and clung tighter.

"I don't want you to go, Momma," Rose whined. By the look on Sophie's face this did not help her in the slightest. She looked at Nate for help and he pried Rose off of her.

"Come here, munchkin. We're going to have tons of fun when Momma's gone," Nate tried as Rose kept fighting against him to go back to Sophie. Nate was beginning to realize who the main parent was and it was not him. Rose may have been a Daddy's girl, but Sophie was still the one who made us dinner most nights, made Rose take naps, and got her dressed in the morning. Rose had made it clear that Daddy was not allowed to pick out her clothes anymore, even the two year old had a sense of style.

"When you gunna come home, Momma?" Rose asked realizing that she was not going to convince her to stay. Poor Sophie looked like she was already having a pretty difficult fight with herself.

"A couple weeks or a month," Sophie replied sounding like she was dreading it already as she pulled me into her arms and hugged me tight.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure no one burns down the house and Nate doesn't poison us," I tried lightly. She pulled me back and looked me in the eye and suddenly I threw my arms around her and hugged her tight. "I don't want you to go, but I'm not going to tell you to stay though."

She kissed my forehead but didn't let go. It was her first time without us for a long period of time and it was obvious she was trying really hard to make sure Nate is 100% ready for what he was getting himself into with two girls, which he definitely wasn't.

"Are you sure you want a cab? We can drive you," I tried for the third time that morning as I looked at her three suitcases on the floor.

Sophie shook her head defiantly. "I hate goodbyes in airports. This is better for all of us." She gave me one last squeeze before going over to Nate and entwining their fingers. Nate pulled her toward him and kissed her lips. She opened her mouth to say something when the honking cab pulled up.

Everything seemed even more rushed as shoved the notebook in his hand and kissed him quickly then rubbed her nose against Rose's in an Eskimo kiss before pecking her on the lips as well. "Love you," she told the little girl.

"Love you too, Momma," Rosalie told her sadly. Sophie gave her one last kiss before pulling me into another hug and kissed my hair.

"Love you, sweetie. Please behave, and call if you need anything." She looked me in the eye. "Anything."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, Mom. Love you too." I couldn't hide my sad expression either and I was squeezed again.

Finally, she looked at Nate and ignored the sound of the car horn. "Please don't hesitate to call, Nate," she pleaded placing her hand on his chest and going up to kiss him. They looked into each other's eyes for a long time before Nate kissed her one last time.

" Love you too," he told her softly.

Sophie's expression melted into a look of love that was different than what she usually looked like when she told me and Rose goodnight or goodbye. Finally, she reached for her bags and kept adding little reminders as we followed her out to the cab. We all stood and waved goodbye at the corner, Rosalie with her thumb in her mouth. I could see Sophie wiping her tears away until the cab turned the corner.

Nate swung Rosalie around and gave her a goofy smile. "She's gone! That means I've got you to _all _to myself! Junk food and movies!"

Rose gave him a bored look and I just shook my head and turned back toward the front door.

Two weeks went by and Nate was looking exhausted. After Rose going two days without naps and extreme crankiness she had actually ended up being the difficult one. It didn't help that day three we discovered that Rose is allergic to coconut. Her mouth swelled up and that was a very fun trip to the ER. Believe me when I say Nate was flipping out _and _he hates hospitals.

Sophie was in a tizzy and somehow I ended up being the responsible one with her gone. By day four Nate's bed was officially invaded by Rosalie and I had convinced him to just let me handle dinner. Day six, Rose hid for an hour while I went running and Nate couldn't find her until I got back and pointed at a cubby hole next to her bed. Sure enough, there she was with her blanky taking a nap. Day seven, Nate learned that Rose hates oatmeal. Day eight, he broke down and read the notebook. Day nine, Rose spent the entire day being defiant and demanding for her Momma. Day ten-fourteen, she was gradually getting better.

It was day fifteen and the first day Nate had agreed to take me to the mall. After a small amount of convincing, he agreed to not follow me around everywhere, instead watching Rose in the play area and handing over my new bank card. Nate and Sophie did eventually decide to give me an allowance. There was money that we made on cons was distributed fairly. Sophie and Nate had most of my earnings, for when I was old enough to take it all, but they decided that they would start letting me dip into it now.

I had an arm full of bags, everything from jewelry to a new dress for a future con, as I walked toward Nate with a very sleepy Rose in his arms. There were three women standing around him, and I could tell, even from yards away, they were flirting.

I huffed and hurried closer to him.

"Oh, she's just so cute, and looks so much like her father," the blonde lanky one commented reaching out to touch Rose. Rose buried her face in Nate's neck and glared at the woman and I wanted to tell her she was a good girl.

"Look at those curls," the shorter blonde cooed as Rose shoved her thumb in her mouth. The woman's eyes flashed to Nate's. "And I'm not just talking about hers."

I glared at her and stepped up toward Nate who was red faced and looking for a way out. I was about to give him a damn good way. "Hey, Dad," I said pointedly giving the other women hard looks.

They didn't seem to notice much. "Hey, Ans, you done?" Nate asked, not hiding the hopefulness in his voice as he glanced at the women like they were sharks.

"Yup. I bought some things for Mom, too," I stressed sending an even harsher look at the women.

"So this is your other daughter?" the lanky one asked, not hiding her flirtation.

"No, I just call him Dad," I said sarcastically, earning a look of surprise from the women. Nate knew what I was doing and he didn't seem to mind. Turning back to him, I gave him another pointed look. "Mom comes home Friday, are we doing anything special?"

The women all looked at him and I could tell they noticed his ringless left hand. I glared at them and watched Rose begin to doze. "Excuse me ladies, we'll be going," I snapped as I put my arm through Nate's and started walking toward the doors of the mall. "Can't leave you alone for a couple of hours without you getting hit on?" I tsked at him. "Sophie would shoot you, again."

He grunted and rolled his eyes as he pulled the keys out of his pocket to Sophie's Escape.

I unlocked the front door and watched as Nate carried Rose inside. "Pick out a movie," Nate instructed me. "I'll make dinner."

He looked tired as he put Rose on the couch and watched her curl up with her blanky. I was beginning to wonder when Sophie was coming home. I missed her a lot. Don't get me wrong. I loved Nate, but Nate and I were not very good at staying on the same side of things. I never really understood why we saw things so differently. Sophie says that it's because we're actually a lot alike, but I don't see how.

My phone went off and it was Quinn.

**How's day 15 without a Soph?-Quinn**

**Nate's trying. I almost feel bad for him. You gunna come help him out by taking me off his hands?-Anna**

**Don't tempt me.-Quinn**

God, I wanted to tempt him.

"Talking to Quinn?" Nate asked suddenly, making me hide the screen of my phone in reflex.

I wanted to snap at him, though I wasn't sure why. He was just asking an innocent question, but I felt defensive, like Quinn was part of my world that he was not allowed to interfere with. Becoming very aware of my sudden burst of attitude, I choked it down.

"Yes. He's asking if you're having difficulties," I told Nate, forcing my voice to be light. He cast me a look and I followed him into the kitchen where he was already tossing the chicken breast in the skillet.

I reached for my phone.

**Wouldn't mind. You in town?-Anna**

**Twenty minutes out, actually. Movie?-Quinn**

**How about around eleven? Nate will be asleep by then. You bring the movie.-Anna**

So I had been breaking a few more rules than usual lately, but unlike Sophie, Nate couldn't see straight through me. Nate could see through a lot of people, but at the end of the day, I was still a world class grifter thanks to my mom.

Nate kept his back to me, but I could tell he was uncomfortable. "So, you and Quinn getting close?"

He was trying to have a fatherly conversation with me, I could feel it. It just may have been failing slightly. "Yes?"

His entire body tensed. "So, he's going to come around more often?" Busying himself with playing with the chicken in the pan, he didn't wait for my reply. "I just want to point out that you're still very young Anna-" Oh, shit. Was he going where I thought he was going? "-and Quinn is quite a bit older so he may have certain… expectations." Yes.. Yes… he was.

"Dad… stop."

He turned around and waved the spatula at me. "And you definitely do _not _have to do anything you're not comfortable with-and I mean, Quinn and you should really not be touching. I mean you're a kid-"

I buried my face in my hands. "Please, God, make this stop…"

"I know we don't usually obey the law, but some laws are made for a reason. Like… like the one that says a sixteen year olds should have-"

"Don't say the-"

"Sex with someone who is older than eighteen. And Quinn's a lot older than eighteen."

I looked at Nate through my fingers and prayed that I'd just disappear. "Nate. I'm not having sex with Quinn…" For the time being. Though, I may have wanted to.

Either way, Nate didn't completely buy it. "Well, I mean, when you decide to there are certain precautions-"

"Nate!" I choked slamming my hands down on the counter top and finally silencing him. "It's cool that you're trying to do all the parenting here, Dad, but I'm going to just point out, this is a conversation that is reserved for Sophie. If you really want to give the talk to someone, call Hardison. I don't know if he's heard it."

He looked at me with relief. "Just covering my bases," Nate said awkwardly.

I rubbed my face with my hands. "Well, I haven't even started running them." Standing up, I grabbed my cell phone off the counter. After dinner, I was calling Sophie.

We sat at the table, like Sophie requested we get in the habit of even though she is gone, and ate together. I had cut Rose's food up and she was picking it up with her fingers as Nate and I avoided eye contact as much as possible.

"This is good," I commented, trying to break the awkward silence. "Why don't you cook more often?"

He muttered something about poisoning people or making something they're allergic to, but I couldn't hear the specifics. "But thank you, Anna. It's not fair to make you cook all the time. Though, Eliot's done a good job of teaching you."

With a small smile, I took the compliment. Nate doesn't usually hand them out so easily. Nate took Rose up for her bath after dinner and I went to the activity room and sat down on the bench of the piano. I ran my fingers along the key. Each key was moving with ease, none sticking and it was perfectly in tune.

I looked at the key cover and ran my hand over the gold engraving. _Anna's Baby_. I smiled at it. It was official, I had the best parents in the world. I stood up and lifted the up the top of the bench to get some of my sheet music out. As I opened it I saw another engraving in the black seat. _Play Your Heart Out, My Love. Love, Mom & Dad._

Yup, best parents in the world. I sat down at the piano and played for the next couple of hours, eventually greeted by Nate who took a seat in one of Sophie's chairs on the other side of the room followed by Phantom taking a place at his feet. He was drinking Jamison but I didn't care. After the last couple of weeks, he deserved a little alcohol.

I assumed Rose was already in bed, but I hadn't checked the time yet.

"You've been really helpful with Rosalie," Nate said as we both stood up and stretched, Phantom taking his cue to do the same. My fingers cracked and I rolled my head on my shoulders to get the kink out of my neck. I really needed to work on my posture while playing piano for long periods of times.

I shrugged at him and nudged him a little. "You coulda handled it. If you read the notebook when Sophie said to."

He caught my smile and pulled me under his arm. As we walked up the stairs with Phantom at our heels, I let myself wonder what it would like to grow up in this house, if I had started out in this family, if this family had been normal. What it would be like to grow up on being pushed by my daddy on the tree swing, him carrying me up the steps to bed. My mom sitting me down at her makeup station in her bedroom and getting me all dolled up for absolutely no reason. Mom and Dad taking pictures of me and my date to my first school dance. All my friends and I lined up on the stairs for senior prom.

It almost made me sad knowing I would never have that life. Still, it was pointless to get upset over it, I was already so lucky.

As I got to top of the steps, I went on my tip toes to give Nate a kiss on the cheek. "Night, Dad," I said to him as he kiss my temple.

"Night, sweetheart."

I moved toward my bedroom and set up my TV and Xbox, but I still had an hour before Quinn came over. So I took the opportunity to call Sophie. Still, before I called I knew to check on Rose, because that would be one of the first things she asked about.

Rose was in her baby blue pajamas, tucked into her bottom bunk and blanky next to her. She seemed to be alright.

I walked back toward my bedroom and dialed Sophie's number.

"_Hello?"_ her voice was tired, but I hadn't talked to her in nearly four days, so I didn't immediately apologize and hang up.

"Did you tell Dad to give me _THE _talk?" Getting to the point quickly seemed like the best idea.

I heard Sophie yawn into the phone. _"What? Sweetie, I'm in London. It's four in the morning._ _Give me a second to catch up."_

The sounds of Sophie shuffling around made me wonder if she was at her London home or if she was in a hotel. I wasn't sure if she even still owned a home in London…

"_Okay, darling. Let's start from the very beginning. How was your day?"_ Suddenly she sounded much more awake, but the sleep was still in her voice. Just barely.

I groaned and threw myself onto my bed before groaning again and realizing I hadn't changed into my pajamas yet. "Well, Nate took us to the mall-"

"_That was good of him. He really hates those places."_

"And got hit on by a bunch of moms." The line fell silent and I wished I could see Sophie's face. It most likely would not have been a pleasant expression. "Don't worry, Mom. The poor guy was looking for a way out and I was happy to help."

"_I knew there was a reason I keep you around."_

"Haha. Funny. But that's not the worst part of today," I told her pulling out my pajamas from the drawer and tossing them on the bed. "Please tell me you didn't ask Nate to have _the_ talk with me."

It was silent for a moment before a burst of giggles came over the phone. My face grew hot with embarrassment and anger. "Hey! It's not funny!"

"_From where I sit, it's hilarious."_

Damn her. I was so embarrassed at the moment, my cheeks were burning red and I was sweating. "Really not funny…"

"_Sweetie, he's worried about… stuff. But I'll call him later and you and I can have a conversation about it. …how exactly did that go? Purely curious."_

"I may have told him to give the coversation to Hardison because I wasn't sure if Hardison had been given it yet… And then he told me he was covering his bases and I replied with something like I haven't started running them yet."

Another round of giggles came over the phone. _"What I would pay to have been a fly on the wall…"_

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. "I'm glad you find this funny."

"_Sweetie, if you were on the other side of things, you would too. I'll call you at a more appropriate time because I'd like to get a few more hours of sleep," _Sophie said, punctuating her sentence with a yawn.

"Alright," I muttered. "Night, Mom."

"_Goodnight, dear. Love you."_

"Love you, too."

"_Give your sister a kiss for me and tell Nate that I'll be home soon enough. Talk to you later, darling."_

Tossing my phone on the bed I picked up my pajamas and started to change. I was pulling my shirt over my head when I heard a knock on my window. Turning around, I saw Quinn already inside, sitting on the window seat with his back to me, giving me the appropriate privacy.

"You could have waited outside," I said lightly as he turned back around to me. It bothered me a little that I didn't hear him come up. Granted my window was already open, but my ears normally caught those types of sounds.

Quinn just smiled and handed me a movie. I smirked at it. _"Lethal Weapon_? Couldn't find Fast and Furious?"

"Don't knock it til you try it," Quinn replied taking his spot on my bed. He looked very out of place in the vintage setting, but I didn't mind. His blonde hair was shorter than it was when I first met him, and I couldn't decide if I liked it better or not. He was wearing a black t-shirt and dark wash jeans and he looked really good. Suddenly I felt self conscious in my cami and shorts.

He could read my sudden withdraw and he put his hand on my arm silently calling me back to relaxation. "It's a good movie. You'll like it," he said lightly as I leaned against him. He was laying on his stomach and I was sitting cross legged next to him as I started the movie.

*Quinn*

She looked tired, but not the kind of tired you get from not getting enough sleep, the type of tired when you've been strained for the last couple weeks. Eliot would kill him if he knew he was there, but he could hear the sadness in her voice.

Quinn had known a lot of grifters, you meet people through the years, and all of them seemed to be missing a portion of their soul, like hitters in a way. Maybe it was just something that happened when you went against the usual morals and ethics of the world, you sell a small part of your soul because if you kept it, it would keep you from doing the terrible things over and over again.

Anna was different though, the team she was with in general was different. If you would have asked Quinn about Eliot Spencer have a decade ago, Quinn would have told you he was a soulless creature who worked for Moreau. That was not the same person who was so protective over the other six people in his team. The old Eliot wouldn't have thought twice when Quinn looked at Anna, but this Eliot wanted to protect her.

Strangely enough, Quinn wanted to protect her too.

He looked at her. Her curly hair tied into a messy bun on the back of her head, her soft and genuinely pretty features reminding him slightly of Tinkerbell in Peter Pan. He was a monster compared to her. He was a murderer. A hired killer.

Yet since he had met her, he refused those jobs, going straight into retrieval specialist instead. Still, the thought of him hurting her, physically or emotionally, pained him.

That's why he obeyed Eliot's request. He didn't touch her. He looked at her as though he was her guardian angel that one day he may love as his equal and partner, but for the moment he was like a hell-hound who had fallen for an angel.

She caught his eye and flashed him her brilliant white smile. "What?" she asked almost laughing.

"Nate will kill both of us if he knows I'm in here," he replied glancing toward the window. He looked at the teddy bear sitting on the head of the bed and reached for it. "Interesting fella ya got here."

She snatched it from him and held the child's toy to her chest, giving him her high and mighty smile. "His name is Teddy."

Quinn shook the bear's paw. "Nice to meet you, Teddy."

Anna fell asleep before the movie was even over. Now he was sitting up and she was laying with her head on his leg. He glanced at the clock. It was going on two in the morning. As slowly as possible, he moved out from underneath her.

He took a step back and let himself admire her beauty for a few more seconds before leaning down and pushing the hair off her face. He would not kiss her goodnight, though he wanted to.

"She changes you," Nate said, appearing in the doorway of her room.

Quinn's heart plummeted as he slowly turned around to face the man who's home he was invading.

"I'm not angry, I've known about your visits the last few nights," he told Quinn. His voice was cold and business like. He imagined he use this voice for his clients.

"She seemed-"

"Lost?" Nate offered. Quinn nodded. Lost was the perfect term. "Sophie usually does little things to help Anna out, but Anna really misses everybody. Plus," Nate gave him a hard look, "I know you respect her."

Quinn nodded again, not knowing what to say. "I should go," he said finally.

Nate walked him to the door and entered the security code, not hiding the numbers he was punching in. But as Quinn walked out the door, Nate studied him hard. "Don't climb through my daughter's window anymore. I think this place had a neighborhood watch. Anna needs as many people watching over her as possible. "

Quinn was shocked as Nate closed the door behind him and heard the deadbolt slide. Had Nathan Ford just… A small smile cracked Quinn's lips as he walked down the side walk toward his SUV. Maybe he never gave Nate enough credit. He just wanted Anna to be happy too.

_**Did Nate just give Quinn his approval in his own, weird way? Yes, I think he did! Maybe a Parker/Anna chapter next? I'm not for sure, but I'm definitely ready for the team to be back together. And I have a chapter planned for when they get together in Portland that a lot of you have been asking for. It's been on the Idea Board for a while, but I think it's a good time to pull it out. **_


	72. The Past is The Past

_**So, hold on to your hats, ladies and gents! **_

*Anna*

Sophie had only just come home and was already being attacked by all of us. Nate was a great dad, put forth amazing effort, did everything he was suppose to do, but I will admit to myself that I am my mother's daughter and Rosalie missed her like crazy too. We didn't want anyone to go anywhere anytime soon.

Nate was even holding her a bit closer, his arm around her waist was they worked together in the kitchen, his fingers occasionally drumming against her hip bone, even stealing a kiss or two as they attempted to perfect the pasta sauce. This was probably going to get even worse until Nate left in a week or so. It was nice to experience something so domestic when we didn't live the classic life.

They decided to make lunch together, even though Sophie had been only been home since ten and was looking a bit tired. Not tired enough that other people would realize, but tired where we knew it.

It ended up being a family function. Nate had Sophie taste the spaghetti sauce again while I poured the noodles into the boiling water. This time she sighed with delight and pecked his lips again. Obviously that one was the winner. Phantom did his part by keeping Rosalie occupied and out of trouble. We hadn't opened our gifts from Sophie yet, but she said that they'd have to wait until tonight to get to open them.

"Momma," Rosalie said to Sophie as she wrapped her arms around her legs and looked up at her, "you home to stay, momma?"

Sophie picked her up and spun her around the kitchen. "You and I will never be apart for long," she stopped and looked up at me, giving me a caring smile. "Isn't that right, Anna?"

I gave her a sweet smile. "Of course, Mom. We'll always need you and Dad," I told her before glancing at Nate who gave me a gentle look. He gave me a little nudge to get me away from the stove as I tried to taste the sauce.

"And we'll need you two," Sophie added, setting Rose on the counter and giving her an Eskimo kiss.

Life was perfect. Exactly what a family should be. A Hallmark movie.

For once, we didn't eat at the bar, just sat on the floor of the living room eating our pasta on the coffee table. Rose didn't even have her own plate, just sat in Nate's lap and was being fed by both Nate and Sophie while we watched Sophie's favorite movie: Sleepless in Seattle.

"Momma, can we go to the park?" Rose asked for probably the hundredth time that day. The plates were cleared and I had stacked them in the dishwasher. Nate was sitting on the couch with Sophie's head on his leg and Rosalie sitting up against Sophie's stomach.

I gave Rose a hard look. "Mom's tired, leave her alone," I told her harshly, earning a slightly surprised look from everyone in the room. Quickly, I fell quiet.

"No, it's alright Anna. How about we all go to the park?" Sophie offered, stretching was she sat up and made herself focus.

Nate gave her a concerned look. She was probably really jet lagged and he wasn't sure if he liked the idea of them going to the park. "I'm really not sure if it's the best idea, Soph. The park will still be there tomorrow."

Sophie did not like being coddled. "We'll be fine, Nate. You can come along if you'd like," she gave him a playful smile. "That way I can take care of all those women who have been trying to sink their trampy claws into you."

Nate laughed at her. "You have nothing to worry about. A cute toddler may attract the girls, but the mouthy teenager," he raised his brow at me, "has a hell of a way of scaring them off."

I gave him a proud smile and earned an even prouder look from Sophie. "That's why she's my girl," Sophie told him lightly, yawning.

"I'm going to stay here and catch up on some things in my office," Nate told her kissing her again.

She looked at her watch. "Well, how about we go to the park for an hour and then you all let me get some sleep?" Rose jumped into her lap making Sophie groan in pain. Twenty pounds or not, she was boney and it hurt.

"Alright, Momma!"

Sophie wore her white sundress while I stuck with jean shorts and layered tank tops. I was surprised she chose flats. That was one of the hints that she was very, very tired. We didn't even walk to the park like we usually did, we took the Escape.

I set Rose down on the side walk as Sophie claimed a vacant bench close to a tree with Phantom. She was writing in a spiral notebook as Rose ran to the jungle gym and I took my spot next to my mother. Her eyes had circles underneath them and skin was even more sun kissed than usual.

She kept her eyes on the paper, every now and then making them dart around the playground. "I wish I could have seen you at her age," she said softly, her eyes on the paper again.

Her statement caught me by surprise, but I didn't say anything. For some reason I was still unable to share those albums Cory had given me. They were in a lock box under the floorboards in my room. There was a wave of guilt that washed over me for still being secretive with her.

I promised myself I would try not to be. Sophie would never hurt me and she wouldn't judge me. She was a strong believer that the past was the past and

Suddenly I watched her go frigid as her eyes darted around the playground again. She stood and the notebook hit the ground and a low growl rumbled from Phantom as he started barking madly. My actions mimicked her in reflex and I searched to see what she saw. Then I realized something. It wasn't what she saw, it was what she didn't see.

"Rosalie?" Sophie called, effectively keeping the panic I could sense in her. Nate would sometimes realize Rose was out of sight and call to her and she'd appear from behind a tree or a bush, but Sophie always saw everything. Whether she was writing, talking on the phone, or even had her back turned. She always saw what happened.

That's why I was scared. Phantom started barking, jerking at the leash tied around the bench. Everyone in the park turned to us. "Rosalie Alexis!" Sophie called again, her panic registering to a tone that had all the parents in the park snatch up their children.

My heart was slamming against my chest and there was a hallow feeling in my gut as I untied Phantom's leash. A hand grabbed my arm and pulled me away from him, making the large dog lunge toward the new threat.

Sophie made a harsh hand motion that shut the dog up immediately as I turned to get a look at the man holding my arm. "Stop struggling, Anna," Sophie hissed, barely moving her lips as she smoothed her dress and took a seat on the bench again. She looked around the park, her expression a mock calm as she patted her hand on the bench. "Sit calmly unless you want to attract more unnecessary attention."

She looked me in the eye and gave me a silent command to obey. As I sat down next to her I finally felt the barrel of the gun that was against my side. The other mothers around were taking her cue to allow their children to keep on playing as her hand tightened on my wrist, her thumb gently moving up and down to try and calm me.

"What do you want, Peter?" she asked, her voice falling into a more defined British accent. She even sat a bit taller, if that was possible.

I glanced into the face of the man who held my arm. He was maybe in his early forties, his face aged a bit more than the rest of his body, but it was obvious to me that he was higher class. "Cute family you have here, Charlotte. Did Will know that you had a child with him? Pretty little thing. Even kinda has Will's chin."

He flashed a cruel sort of smile at me before reaching out and touching my chin with his free hand making Sophie pull me a bit closer.

"Where's my other daughter, Peter?" she hissed, her eyes never meeting his. She just kept glancing around the playground, searching for Rosalie.

"She's fine, for now. Just like this cute little thing. You know I'd never hurt Will's blood though, Charlotte, unless I have to." Peter did let the barrel of the gun out of my back and Sophie pulled to her.

"Leave my children alone," she hissed, finally turning and looking at Peter. Her eyes were dark with anger and cruelty. She looked like she was ready to tear this man limb by limb if she knew where Rose was and if there wasn't a gun still pointed at me.

Peter looked mockingly at her as he scrunched his face in thought. "How about, I make you a deal? Little Rose will be returned to Anna and I'll take you with us."

I looked at her as she studied his expression. "What do you want from me, Peter?"

He laughed at her. "You all but killed my brother and then took the money and left. Disappeared. Who knew you had a kid? Perfect age too. What do I want from you? I want everything you took."

There was a look on her face that told me that she wasn't sure if she should tell them that I was not William's child, I was not even her biological child, or if it would put me in more danger. "Mom?" I said softly.

"I still have all the heirlooms. Give me Rosalie and you can have all of them and all the cash I have on hand. I'll give you more if you want. Just give me my daughter. Let the three of us walk away," Sophie said coldly hiding her panicked emotions that were radiating through me by the tightness of her grip on my wrist.

Peter tsked at her. "Now, Charlotte, fear is not a pretty color on you."

"Well, you've always worn greed well," she snapped back. "Give me my daughter."

"I will hand the little thing over to the mutt and Anna if you come with me Charlotte. I saw that new man of yours. I'm very curious as to just how much you're worth to him," Peter snapped. "Now what's it going to be? It would really be a terrible thing to watch your daughter drop dead in front of you followed by a toddler getting her throat slit. That would be fun to explain-"

"Stop it!" Sophie hissed with such venom I jumped back. "I will go with you, but you leave my children alone. Hurt either of my girls and I will be the one to kill you."

He laughed at her and stood up, casually walking to her. "Take my arm, like the lady you used to be." Then he turned to me as I watched in horror. I was too afraid and shocked to cry. Sophie stood and looped her arm through his.

"Mom?" I whispered, looking at her, unsure what to do.

"Five million. Cash. You will not move until the kid is returned to you. You will calmly walk back to your vehicle, you will not make a scene or your mother will hit the ground. When you return home tell your father my name, Peter Prentice. Tell him I expect the money to be gather by Wednesday. Dropped at-" he reached into his pocket and handed me a piece of paper, "that address. Your precious mother will be returned to you if all my demands are met. And if you're lucky," his eyes flashed with evil, "in one piece."

I stood up and moved toward my mother, giving her a tight embrace. She returned the hug and kissed my forehead. "Listen to him, Anna. Everything will be alright."

I looked up at her, wanting to her to give some sort of signal that she had a plan, but there was none. She just looked up at Peter, and they walked away together.

Phantom was still holding a low growl as I took my seat again. It took all I had to breathe normally, keep my tears at bay and not let the panic consume me. Rose came running toward me from behind a car that effectively sped off. I stood, but was afraid to move from my spot as she sobbed hysterically running toward me. I scooped her into my arms and grabbed Phantom's leash. I calmly shushed her as I walked briskly to the car.

Sophie had managed to slip me the keys during out quick hug, I just hoped she felt me slip her the earbud as well. If not, I still had the trackers that were in the bracelet (two can play at the tracking game). First things first, I had to get to Nate.

I threw the front door of the house open, not bothering to shut it behind me as Rosalie continued her ear piercing shrills and cries. "Dad!" I screamed as Phantom howled. "Dad!"

They knew where we lived. They knew that Nate was alone. They wouldn't have-

"Dad!" I screamed again over all the other noise.

Nate came running into the living room and I immediately passed on Rose and dropped Phantom's leash. I grabbed Nate's shirt sleeve and pulled him to the door. To be honest, I didn't know what I was doing.

"We have to get her back. He took her and we have to get her back. Now! He made it sound like he was going to hurt her, Dad. We've got to get her back. We have to get Mom back, Dad!"

My words were in ragged breaths and Rose's screams were still ringing.

*TEAM*

The way Rosalie was screaming and Anna was calling, Nate thought Rose must have jumped off the monkey bars and broke her arm or something. He couldn't get out of his chair fast enough, knocking it over as he sprinted toward the living room to find both his daughters and even the dog in a mad panic.

Anna shoved Rose into his arms and started speaking so fast he could barely understand her. "We've got to get her back. We've got to get Mom back, Dad!"

Sophie.

Rosalie clung to him as he grabbed Anna by the forearms, forcing her to look at him. "Anna, breathe, I can't help if I can't understand."

He sounded much calmer than he felt. He had the just of the situation. Someone took Sophie. The image of her kicking and screaming as Anna and Rose were forced away came into his mind but it didn't seem to quite fit. Anna would have taken them down in a heartbeat.

"We were sitting on the bench and Phantom wasn't barking and Rose was gone," Anna choked out, running her hands over her braid trying to calm herself. "I was going to untie Phantom when some grabbed my arm and Sophie completely changed. She told me to stop struggling, but her accent was more refined. Peter Prentice, William's brother, he's the one that took her. I couldn't fight him because he told Sophie that he'd kill me and slit Rose's throat if Sophie didn't go with him quietly."

Nate studied Anna, his face completely neutral in a way that Sophie hadn't been able to pull off earlier. He had to remain calm or else his panic would set off more panic in Anna and he was not going to be able to get all the information.

Rose was calming down and he needed Anna to calm down. "What were their demands? Did they have demands?"

"Five million, to-to-to-" Anna searched her pockets and pulled out a piece of paper, "this address. Daddy, what are we going to do?"

He pulled her into his arms and tried to calm her down. "Call the team."

"I gave her an ear bud. We can track it. I don't know if she felt my put it in her pocket," Anna pushed past him and opened a laptop on the coffee table. Suddenly she turned into a Hardison, typing away at the computer. "I'm hacking into Hardison's computer, that'll get his attention and I can access the com GPS. I'll have to remotely turn it on. If I tweek the volume and sound sensitivity I can maybe get an ear in on what is going on."

Nate was actually impressed, watching the girl grab an ear bud out of her pocket where she always kept several and wiping her emotions off the plate. She was more businesslike and suddenly she reminded him of Sophie.

Her cell phone rang and she hit it on speaker.

"_Care to tell me what the hell you're doing punching through my firewalls?" _Hardison snapped as Anna kept typing. She haphazardly tied her hair out of her face.

Nate took over the conversation to let Anna work. "I need you all here now. Sophie's been taking by Peter Prentice."

"_Prentice? As in-"_

"Charlotte? Yes. Now call Eliot. Anna's working on a planted com. " Nate looked at Anna, typing madly, and blowing a stray strand of hair out of her way. Her eyes were bloodshot but he had never seen the girl so focused on getting something done. "Do you need Hardison's help?"

She didn't speak, just barely shook her head, her eyes never leaving the computer screen.

"_What do they want? They have to have demands." _Hardison sounded panicked but you could also hear everything being packed together.

"Five million. But that doesn't matter," Nate said able to see the blood drain out of Anna's face. "That doesn't matter. These people are rich. They don't care about money. They just wanted Sophie to walk away with them and not scare Anna anymore than they had to…"

Nate looked over to Anna, impressed by her quick work, her fast thinking, her little quirk with always carrying coms in her pocket and eyes daring to catch everything. Yes, he was scared, but these people honestly thought Sophie was just some runaway dutchess. They didn't realize that Anna very well could have killed the men if they didn't have her sister or that Sophie was one of the best con artists in the world, some would even say the best. He was worried, but Anna was impressive at the moment.

She was trembling, but her eye was on the prize. Anna may have looked strong, knowing what she needed to do at the moment, but she was scared to death. She needed her mom to be okay. She wasn't going to lose the first person who taught her to care.

Sophie was thrown onto the floor of the cellar, her blind fold still on and her hands catching her on the dirt floor. She reached to the blind fold off and no one stopped her. She looked up to see that she was once again alone with Peter.

"I never quite understood why you left, Charlotte," Peter told her as he leaned against the stone wall. "I mean, once we realized all the jewelry and money was gone, we had a pretty fair idea. Of course, Will had a tendency of knocking you around now and then, but you know he'd stop that." His lips twinge into a slight smile. "At least until the baby was born."

Sophie bit her tongue at the urge to tell him she was glad to have never carried that bastards child. She didn't often speak ill of the dead, and she was not lying when she said she loved him, but you can only love someone for so long until they beat the love out of you. Until they forced themselves on you and gave you a black eye on your honeymoon.

Brushing herself off, she kicked at the dust. She was exhausted, but the adrenalin in her system was putting her senses on high alert.

"What do you want from me?" Sophie hissed. "Are you that angry I'm happy?"

Peter set his jaw. "You know, I almost couldn't believe it was you, walking around London. Time has been kind to you, and you seemed to barely resemble the Charlotte I once knew, but you're still that dark, mysterious woman that crippled my brother until he drank himself to death."

Sophie moved toward him with such speed that it actually frightened him. He didn't realize who he was dealing with. There were worse situations that she had been in, she could take care of herself if she had to.

"What do you want from me?" she hissed again. "What do you bloody want!"

He grabbed her by the neck, surprising her as he forced her into the wall. "I want to take your family from you, like you took my brother from me. Starting with the father of your children." His lips were inches from her face as he whispered in her ear. "And I want you to watch every God damned second of it. I heard he likes to drink too."

He flipped on a screen on the opposite side of the room. There were cameras set up in her home. But how was that possible? She had only just gotten back. If he had followed her back, he wouldn't have had time to set all this stuff up… unless…

"Who is helping you?" she snapped.

"What's wrong Sophie?" he purred. She glanced back into his eyes, revealing nothing. "Apparently you have a lot of enemies who want you, your children, and your crew dead."

Alright. She was officially confused. "What is going on, Peter?"

He laughed and dropped her before pulling out a picture of the realtor. "Remember her?"

Patty, but she wasn't a grifter. Still, she remembered the look of pity and fear in her eyes. She was intimidated by Sophie, and not for the reasons she thought either. They probably forced her to do it, paid her or threatened her. Still, this was a team effort, planned out extremely effectively. Peter would have never thought to take Rose or point a weapon at the walking weapon. Damn it. This was not going to be as easy as she thought.

She walked toward the screen. Anna was sitting with an open laptop, typing madly while Nate paced back and forth. Even from the distance, she could tell Rose was still crying. More than anything in the world, Sophie wanted to go to her family.

"First Nathan, then that blond Parker, then your hacker, your hitter, well actually, those three die pretty close together. I'll be sure to bring your children to you so they die in front you. So they can look you in the eye and know that this is your fault. Your family will die because of you."

He moved behind her and pointed to the liquor cabinet. "How sad will it before for those sweet girls to watch their father take a drink of Jameson and collapse and choke on his own vomit. I made sure it was a painful poison, but fast enough so there won't be time to even call 9-1-1."

Sophie didn't take her eyes off the screen as she heard his footsteps on the stone steps.

"There has to be something I can do!" she screamed at him. "I'll give you anything you want. I'll give you anything!"

The footsteps stopped. "I don't to be given anything. I want to take it all away."

The door slammed shut, followed by the sounds of doors locking and a bar sliding. Her fingers inched to dig into her pocket and dig out the com Anna had effectively dropped into it, a stunt she was very proud of, but stopped when she realized she could be being watched.

Moving slowly, she glanced around the room. She could risk it. She had to risk it. She watched as Nate moved to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of liquor. No! She had to stop him.

She pulled the com out of her pocket and shoved it in her ear. "Anna! Anna!" _Please answer me. _Her heart was racing as she watched Nate swirl the liquid in the glass and put it to his lips. "Damn it, Anna! Please hear me!"

Sophie had worked so hard to put the past behind her, and now it was trying to rip her apart.

_**Cliff hanger! Bum-bum-bum! What do you think?**_


	73. Dark Paths

_**Hope you enjoy!**_

*TEAM*

Nate put the glass to his lips, inhaling the burning scent of the Irish whiskey. He wanted to drink it, feel the burn of it go down his throat, but in the back of his mind he knew he shouldn't. Rose was borderline hysterical, Anna had fallen into her shell of emotions, and the team was not there yet. Hardison said four hours for him and Parker and Eliot said five.

One drink wouldn't hurt anything. One drink would help him think. Sophie had even poured him a drink the time they were trying to get that little boy's heart on a con. _We don't like it when you drink, but we trust you when you do._

Suddenly he missed her as though she was gone and never coming back, something he knew wasn't true. It couldn't be true. He couldn't lose her. Sophie was his compass, his touchstone. She was the light at the end of his tunnel, always calling him home to her. Yes, his girls were the world to him, but Sophie had become his universe.

He was going to get her back and hold her. Tell her that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and tell her he loved her. Whisper those words into her ear until she was sick of them because he had spent too much time not telling her.

He raised the glass, as if toasting the universe. This drink was for her. She trusted him when he drank, it helped him on cons, so he would drink. Only one though. He wanted to stay mostly clear minded.

"Give me Sophie back," Nate whispered as he put the glass to his mouth.

The liquid had barely touched his lips when he felt someone jerk it out of his hand. Surprised, he looked down at Anna. She held the glass in her hand, but she seemed to be in another world. Her eyes moving side to side as though she was reading something. Finally, her eyes met his.

She threw the glass into the sink, listening to it shatter. Her actions were dangerous and fast, but he could tell that she was acting. She was making a point to look as though they were fight.

"What are you doing?" Nate growled, reaching for the bottle.

Anna moved around the island and grabbed his wrist. "Listen to me. Sophie says that the Jameson is poisoned and that we're being watched. There are cameras all around the house."

Nate knew better than to look, and he understood what she was doing now. He pushed her off, sending her stumbling back. She wasn't angry. She understood what he was doing. The bottle was slammed onto the counter and he walked away.

As he moved into the living room, he stopped to pick up an earbud on the table and moved toward the couch.

"Soph?"

"_Anna, listen to me. Take the com out of your ear and take your sister up to your room. Work from her room, your room, or the guest rooms. Nate will come find you when you can put the com back in your ear," _Sophie sounded nervous, the sleep in her voice masked with concern.

"I'll get you back, Sophie."

It broke her heart for him to sound so sure as he sat down on their living room couch. That was the way he was though. Unlike Anna, Sophie knew that Nate was not invincible or unstoppable, that the truth was bad guys won a lot more than the good guys. Peter currently had the advantage because Sophie didn't even know who exactly she was up against.

She had to remember to keep her voice low. "Take the girls and leave. He wants you all dead. You, the girls, Parker, Eliot, Hardison, all of you. I can't let that happen."

"_Sophie, nothing is going to happen to us," _Nate replied calmly.

She took a deep breath and shook her head. "I don't want to risk it. I can't let you die," she choked.

"_Sophie, I need you to listen to me and trust me. I will get you out of there,"_ Nate told her softly. She loved him. He knew how to take care of her. _"You and I can go on the boat. We'll take the girls if you want. I'll always find you, Sophie."_

Tear streaked her face as she watched Nate bury himself in his pain. "This is what it's become? God just won't let us be happy, Nate. Maybe this is what we get."

"_You don't mean that,"_ Nate commanded. His voice weak with his own tears. _"You don't deserve this. You're a great mother, you do great things-"_

"You don't know who I used to be. Before you, before Moscow, I wasn't a good person."

She wrapped her arms around herself and let herself slide down the wall. It was okay for her to cry. No matter what Peter did, she was going to lose. Lose her family or lose herself.

"_Sophie, I will get you back. I have a plan."_

*Anna*

Was this a justified time to cry? Just break down and do the poor pitiful me stunt? Yes, it was a thought in the back of my mind as I sat on my bed looking at the address where they were holding Sophie. I could do it, as a one person job. Get in, get out. But if something went wrong Nate would never forgive me if Sophie got hurt and Sophie would never forgive herself if something happened to me.

Nate had a plan and it was safe to say it was not a very supported idea. Sophie thought it was too dangerous and she thought this was a bad idea in general, but all of us vetoed her idea of sending us out. We were not leaving her.

Rose was holding tight to Nate's neck as Eliot grumbled about how much he just wanted to kill the bastard. "You don't mess with kids or women. Especially not Sophie," he grumbled.

Parker nodded in confirmation. "But I don't know about this plan. It seems kinda-"

"Extreme? Dangerous? Surely suicidal? I mean it sounds like a typical Friday night," Hardison added dramatically. "I mean, I really think there should be rules about things you can and can't ask us to do. We should join a union!"

Nate shook his head as Rose slept in his arms. "We can't pull her out of there because if they realize what's going on Sophie will die before we can even get close to her."

"We don't need to be reminded," I mumbled at him, sending him a glare. He moved toward me, putting his hand on my shoulder which I just shrugged off. I didn't want to be touched. I just wanted my mom.

Nate sighed and handed the sleeping toddler over to me. "Anna, your dismissed. If he doesn't know what you are, then we'll keep it that way."

I stared at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

"Anna," Nate said impatiently. "Don't argue."

I almost stood there and argued, but I bit it back. I just wanted my mother back more than anything, more than having a pointless argument that meant I was going to lose. Getting to my feet, I carried my little sister up the steps and tucked her into bed, kissing her forehead.

"Nana, will you sing Momma's song?" Rosalie asked sleepily. She sounded timid, afraid of upsetting anyone anymore than they already were. A wave of guilt hit me. Rose was my responsibility and I was supposed to take care of her. How could I not see her worry about _our_ mother?

"Rose, I promise, Mom's coming home," I told her softly, rubbing my nose against hers in the way Sophie did to us. The gesture was appreciated. She touched my face with her small hands and looked at me closely.

"Momma's not our real momma but she loves us, right?" Rose asked me.

She couldn't understand why I was crying, and I wasn't sure if I understood it either. "Mom and Dad love us more than anyone has ever loved us. And Dad loves Mom more than Prince Charming loves Snow White. That's why she'll come home."

I brushed her hair off her face and kissed her forehead. "_Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens…_"

*TEAM*

Sophie had fallen asleep, leaving the ear bud in her ear. After all these years she had learned to tune it out since sometimes they really did have to sleep in them. Funfact: Hardison talks like Yoda in his sleep. Still, not being able to kiss her girls goodnight ripped at her heart. She wanted her children. She wanted her lover. She wanted her home.

Nate sat at the kitchen table, looking at the bottle on the table. He wanted Sophie back. The truth was the girls would always need Sophie more than they needed him. At least that's what he was telling himself as he poured the bottle of Jameson into a glass. Parker was sleeping in Anna's room, the boys had the guest bedrooms, and Anna was in Rose's room with her.

Parker would hear him hit the ground first. She would wake up the others, all except for Rosalie. They knew better than to let Rose watch that. They knew better to put her through this, but Nate needed Sophie back. He needed her to come home to the girls.

"For Sophie," he muttered, toasting nothing.

He sloshed the liquid in the glass and put it to his lips, letting the liquid slide down his throat and burn in his stomach. The cough caught him off guard as he choked on the golden liquid. He stood, trying to steady himself with the counter, knocking the bottle of Jameson onto the floor and listening to the loud shatter. He kept coughing, choking on the liquid.

Parker heard the glass shatter and she was on her feet in a second, running down the steps in her socked feet, sliding when she hit the landing and hurrying into the kitchen to find Nate choking on the floor.

"Eliot! Hardison!" she screamed. The sounds of doors flying open crashing against the walls told her that they heard her.

The commotion woke Sophie from her slumber and her attention immediately went to the screen as the panicked calls kept coming. She could hear Nate coughing and choking and her heart started to race. She saw the shattered bottle on her kitchen floor and the half empty glass that was abandoned on the counter.

"No!" She cried putting her hand to the screen feeling tears hit the surface. "No!" she screamed so loudly that the bolts on the door started turning and the bar slid.

Immediately she turned around and looked at the man who had caused this. "You did this!" she cried slamming her fist into the wall. "He's dying!"

Peter smiled at her and squinted his eyes to look a bit closer. He pointed to Nate's chest, "I think he's dead."

Fury burned in her eyes as she slammed her fist in Peter's chest. It was just one of those frustrate hits, not a strike to actually attack. She kept hitting him, crying as the screen showed Anna bending over her father screaming at him. It reminded her so much of Anna's wreck.

Peter Prentice just laughed as she kept hitting, gradually getting weaker until she crumbled to the ground. Angry tears running down her face as she slammed her fist into the dirt. He laughed at her pain as he kicked the dirt at her. Bending down, he grabbed her by the hair and forced her to look into his eyes.

There was nothing but pain and hate behind those dark brown eyes. She didn't fight against the fist against her scalp, but he just had to make her hurt even more.

The back of his hand went across his face but his grip on her hair kept her from hitting the dirt. "Hurts, don't it bitch?"

He threw her back into the dirt and listened to her cry as he moved back up the steps, wearing a pleased smile. The feeling of victory made his actions a little cockier and he was becoming blind with pride.

She rubbed her cheek as she pulled herself off the ground and dried her face. She could not wait to show that man what pain really was.

Peter laughed when he got to the top of the steps and shook his head. "Poisoning his whisky. Genius."

"It's paying attention, sweetie. It's paying attention."

The woman stood and greeted Peter with a kiss on the lips. Peter was washed in excitement as he wrapped his arms around her waist and deepened the kiss. This was the most intense feeling he had ever felt in the world. He felt powerful, more powerful than he had ever felt before. She gave him that. It was intoxicating.

She was beautiful, even if she was a decade and a half his senior. Her fiery red hair and dangerous green eyes. Her Manchester accent. The way her eyes closed for a brief second before her perfect lips split into a smile.

Little did he know what this woman was. That the woman he called Helen was known by more names than Sophie Devereaux. This woman made Sophie who she was. The woman that created the Charlotte Prentice identity and taught Sophie everything she knew. Helen King was a sixty year old woman who had found a girl who could woo a man out of his wallet and she saw more. But then Sophie wanted out of being Charlotte, the girl made mistakes, she wanted to find real love and adventure.

So one night Sophie ran. Took all the valuables she could get her hands on and disappeared from everyone. Helen lost everything she had built for them. Her hand was out of the Duchess's pocket and her con was blown. She had to leave the country and spent the next several years in Italy rebuilding and conning. Sophie, on the other hand, became a girl with a million names and faces, not just to stay out of the sight of the law, but to stay out of sight of Helen King.

Somewhere she messed up and Helen found her. Her and her entire family. Those two girls that looked just like her. Rip that woman apart until she became the same lost girl with absolutely nothing like so long ago.

All Peter was to Helen was an opening and resources. She let him have his fun, and she learned to make it fun too. But Helen wanted to see Sophie's face when she ripped her apart everything she had.

In fact, that's what she was going to do now.

Giving Peter another brief kiss, she moved toward the cellar door and opened it, slinking down the steps seductively. She stared at the woman who was curled into the corner of the room, her eyes dead and her pain numbed for the moment. Her cheek was red from the blow and all Helen could do was tsk her tongue at her.

"Now, sweetie, I thought I taught you better than to have a weakness."

Sophie quit breathing when she heard the voice. She only heard it in her most horrid nightmares. It was the kind of voice you don't forget, from the kind of person that you wish you could. "You. You're doing this to me?" her voice squeaked.

The redhead moved toward Sophie and watched as the grown woman reacted like a child, glancing for a place to hide. "You screwed me _Sophie_. Is that your preferred name now?"

She bit her lip. Sophie did not fear many people but this woman was heartless and tried so hard to make her the same way. No matter what Helen made Sophie do, she always felt like she was made less of a person.

"I didn't want to be that person. I didn't like hurting people!" Sophie cried looking back to the screen. Eliot had moved Nate's body already and Parker was walking Anna up her room with Hardison and Phantom close behind. They were not going to sleep tonight. Finally she looked back at the woman. "I'm not you."

"You're right. You're not me. I know better to love and have that weakness," Helen laughed in her face. Finally, she looked down at Sophie and let her finger slide across her chin. "I created you, I taught you. Everything you have should be mine."

Sophie stayed silent as the woman sighed and turned on her heels. It was though she was saying goodbye to a dog she had to put down. As the door slid shut and the bolts slid, she stood up.

"Nate, we have a problem."

*Anna*

The video feeds were on looped now. No one could see us as we all gathered in Sophie and Nate's room. Nate was sipping on a glass of whiskey while Parker paced in circles on the rug, Phantom laid next to sleeping Rose and Eliot kept watch out the closed curtains.

Hardison gave Nate a look of disbelief. "You realize that you're drinking the same type of whiskey that someone put poison in to kill you, right? I mean, smart move having Parker and Anna do the ole switch-a-roo and faking your death and all, but come on."

Nate shrugged. "It's good whiskey."

"_Nate, we have a problem," _Sophie muttered through the coms.

Nate nodded, after all he had heard the brunt of the conversation. "Who are we dealing with, Sophie?"

"_Helen King is her main alias and I would bet my Chanel handbag that this is the name she's using with Peter. Damn, Nate, I hate this."_

"Helen King? As in _the _Helen King?" Hardison groaned running a hand over his face. "You have to be kidding me."

"_She's rusty. I could tell by the way she looked at me. She's been out of the game for a while but we all should be on top of our game," _Sophie said in a low whisper.

I could image her shiver. "But what about the plan? Will the plan still work?" Nate asked her as I bit my lip and started to run through the rest of the con in my head. The other three people still had to die.

"_No- Well, yes- but I really don't like the idea of Rose-"_

"I promise that nothing will happen to Rose," I told her looking at the sleeping toddler. "They'll keep us together and-"

Eliot suddenly shushed us. "Someone is coming."

Immediately Nate hit the lights as we all moved toward the window. Parker, Hardison and Eliot made it impossible for me to see, so I sat back against the bed and huffed. "So who is this Helen King?"

"A very bad grifter. Steal an old woman's last dime, persuade desperate people in poor countries to give her their children and sell them into slavery. Think of some of the worst things you could possibly do, add a bit of Satan into the mix and give it red hair and the personality of a vacuum salesman and you have Helen King," Hardison muttered as Eliot moved through the door way out of Nate's room.

"Oo, yuck," I muttered, shivering slightly. I hated vacuum salesman.

The front door open and I knew it wasn't Eliot. The annoying beep of the security system, the beep that reminded you to put in your code, began until I heard the faint sound of dialing.

"But the plans the same," Nate broke in. He pointed to Hardison and Parker. "You and Eliot are probably dying tomorrow. They want to make this long enough, but they won't spend more than a couple days on this project. Helen's not running a-"

The sounds of Eliot and someone else grunting began, followed by the sounds of crash and shatters and I had a strange feeling Sophie's welcome home flowers that were on the table by the door were no longer as pretty. The table probably wasn't very pretty either.

There was an even louder groan followed by a "You have to be *word that I'm not allowed to say* kidding me!" by Eliot.

Nate kept going, completely unfazed. "-long con. She wants revenge, but she's not sloppy. That's the reason for the whiskey and taking Rosalie. I'm actually pretty impressed."

The door to the dark bedroom opened and Eliot flipped the lights on. He walked in, followed by a very agitated Quinn. "Say hello to our intruder," Eliot growled standing close enough to Quinn where he could probably throw him out a window if he had to.

"I was told to come over!" Quinn snapped, adjusting his ruffled shirt. Yeah, there was no doubt in my mind that Sophie's furniture was damaged.

Everyone turned to me and I raised my hands in defense. "Uhh, I've been a little busy to make that phone call."

Nate didn't look up, just kept his hands folded under his chin in thought. "I invited him. We need another hitter to follow Anna and Rose to the house. Eliot can't go because the moment one of their people see any of us after we were suppose to die, we will all die. Now Quinn, they don't know him."

Eliot grumbled and kept glaring at Quinn as Parker sucker punched him in the arm with a Parker smile and Hardison nodded at him.

"So what? We're supposed to wait until someone else tries to kill you all?" I asked.

"You are taking care of Rose while Quinn and the others keep everyone else from dying," Nate replied sharply. "You know that we can't risk them knowing that you're just as much a trained criminal as the rest of us."

Taking a deep breath, I nodded before looking up at Quinn. I really wasn't sure why Nate invited him. I mean, the argument was valid, but we had other ways around it. Giving Quinn a professional nod, I gathered Rose in my arms and took her back to her room where we both were sleeping tonight.

Sleeping. The only one who was probably going to be sleeping was Rosalie and maybe Phantom.

*Team*

Quinn sat in the kitchen, sipping on a beer when Hardison walked in wearing his Green Lantern pajama pants and shirtless. The hacker never seemed to have a problem with Quinn before, but things seemed a bit different now as Hardison glared him as he moved toward the fridge.

Quinn was never one to be very passive. "Is there something wrong?" he asked, failing at leaving his slight attitude out of his voice.

Hardison grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and shut the door with extra force. "Yeah. Something is wrong." Slowly he turned around a looked Quinn in the eye. "Anna always sees the good in people. She can be a little rough around the edges at first, but she sees people as generally good. I don't."

Immediately, Quinn knew where this was going. Standing up, he turned his whole attention to the hacker. "Why don't you just come right out and say it?"

Hardison slammed the bottled water down on the counter and looked Quinn square in the eye. "How many people have you killed? How many lives have you taken? Does Anna know? Because all she sees when she looks at you is that grifter smile and hitter muscles. She wants to believe you're good when we all know that you're not a good person at all, are you?"

Rarely did Hardison get this protective of Anna, but after what has been going on lately, he knew he would do more research, do his best to look out for her. That started with Quinn. "A whole village slaughtered two years ago. Did that make you feel good?"

He was treading on dangerous ground, just feet away from a human weapon that could kill him before he could even speak, but Quinn didn't even look angry. "The Russian diplomat? The Iranian man who knew a little too much?"

All he wanted to do was make Quinn mad.

"What do you want me to say? Do you want me to defend my actions, because I can't!" Quinn snapped at him tightening his grip on his beer, but not moving from his spot. "I know the number. I remember every damn face. I see them when I close my eyes, when I sleep, when I take a deep breath. I see them. But you know, no one has ever made me want to take it all back like Anna has." Quinn shook his head and took a swig of his beer. "So, I swear that I will never hurt her and I will kill anyone who tries."

Hardison wanted to have a comeback, but he didn't. The sound of a throat clearing, broke the tension and they both turned to see Eliot standing in the door way of the kitchen watching the argument unfold.

Nodding at Eliot, Hardison moved toward the door, but stopped. "I hope that's just as clear in your mind as all those faces."

Eliot watched as Hardison left and Quinn retook his seat on the barstool. He grabbed a beer out of the fridge and sat down across the bar from Quinn, daring him to look him in the eye.

"What?" Quinn snapped with a large amount of irritation.

Eliot shrugged, as he met the man's gaze. "We protect each other here."

Quinn snorted. "Coulda fooled me. First Anna's nearly raped and now Sophie's kidnapped. You guys really can't protect anyone, can you?"

The urge to snap at Quinn was muffled as Eliot exhaled. "Listen to me. First of all, Anna has a tendency of finding trouble or trouble finds her. Second of all, we always get to each other. We always have each other's back. Now," Eliot leveled his look at Quinn, "I'm glad you have Anna's back, but you will not have her heart until you have everyone else's back too. Do you understand me?"

Quinn was shocked. First Nate slowly giving him permission to spend time with Anna and now Eliot was giving him a hand as well. Slowly, he nodded. "Why are you telling me this?"

Taking a deep breath, Eliot turned away from him. "Because I know what it's like to look at someone and want to change for them, I also know how hard it is. But let me tell you a secret, you will hate yourself for the rest of your life if you choose the job over the girl." Eliot finished his beer and tossed the bottle in the trash, glancing at Quinn as he left the room. "She's worth every ounce of trouble she is."

For a long time that night, Quinn just sat in the kitchen, nursing a few beers and thinking about what Eliot had said. Trouble or not, Eliot was right, Anna was worth it. He would gain the teams trust and show them all, and himself, that he didn't have to be the person he used to be. He was going to help take down Helen King and save Sophie Devereaux.

Slowly, he was beginning to realize what was so attractive about this gang of thieves he had wondered upon and it wasn't just Anna. They all came from dark paths, but he was also beginning to see the light.

_**Okay, so I'm really excited to get into the Helen King story! Let me know what you all thought! Please review. **_


	74. Beauty and the Beast

_**This took me forever to write! Please let me know what you think. **_

Quinn ran a hand over his face as he threw away his final beer bottle. There was only four bottles in the trash and one wasn't even his, but he felt like he was justified if he had more. With everything going on at the moment he wanted a few more, but he knew he had to get at least a couple hours of shut eye. Quinn kept thinking about what Eliot had said and the difference between the man he was and the man he is now. Then Quinn questioned if he could really do that, put all those habits and dreadful things behind him and become a new person. He was a not just a predator, he was a wolf. He reported back to the alpha male just as he was supposed to. He had done more than served his debt to his employer but still took jobs for him now and then.

Still, it surprised him when his phone buzzed. "Quinn," he answered as he pulled his shirt over his head and kicked over his shoes. He was used to calls at all hours.

"Quinn, my boy, how's things going as a rogue?" the familiar deep voice chuckled.

Quinn froze in his actions. "Hey, boss," he replied almost wearily as he stood with his hand still on the button of his jeans. "Things are great here, how's the wife?"

Somewhere inside his head, he remembered Eliot's words. Boss always offered you money you couldn't refuse, but they were usually the kind of jobs that you later hated yourself for. At the moment, though, his curiosity was beating everything else.

"Eh, at my ass as usual. Listen, I got a phone call earlier: extremely high paying job, tough but I'm sure you can manage. You available?"

Quinn bit his lip and glanced toward the stairs. "What's the job?"

The sound of please laughter came over the phone. "That's my boy. Apparently some people need to be taken care of. Any other guy I call wouldn't come out alive, but you've gone up against him before and lived, so you're my first call. Name's Eliot Spencer, ring a bell? Used to work for Moreau."

Ring a bell? The man was upstairs, less than fifty feet away. It rings more than a bell, it could possibly ring his neck. Still, he had to know more. Quinn took a deep breath and laid his head back.

"What's the job?"

"Three kills. Spencer, Alec Hardison, and The Parker. I'm actually a little sad to see the thief go, I could have probably used her on my side." The man tsked. "Then she wants you to take the two kids that are with them back to an address I'll text you. You up for the job?"

*Team*

"You said yes?!" Anna nearly yelled at him as they stood in Nate's room for the second time before six AM. "How could you-"

The all watched Anna as her face burned an angry red and she went nose to nose with Quinn. He glared at her, his body, still shirtless, tense as he took the defense.

"If I didn't take it, he'd call in someone else to do it!" Quinn snapped back.

Parker and Hardison watched the two argue, looking back and forth like a tennis match while Eliot stood in the corner of the room watching Quinn. Nate on the other hand was still just thinking, another glass of Jameson in his hand.

"Then let him! You are on our side! You're said that you weren't going to-" she bit her lip and shook her head at him. "You an idiot. You know that? Between you and Eliot, you really think someone could touch us?"

Quinn flexed his hands beside Anna's forearms, but he knew better than to touch her when she was this angry, when he was this angry. "Listen to me. He would've sent gunmen, snipers, something that would be fast and distant. You all wouldn't have survived that. You hear me, Anna?"

She wanted to hit him, her hands already bawled into fists and her body trembling in anger. Eliot wasn't sure what to make of the situation quite yet.

"We can take care of ourselves! We've been doing it this long!" Anna snapped back turning away from him and crossing her arms.

Nate nodded with his thoughts. "This could work. This is actually better."

Everyone turned to Nate. He was still in his thoughts but now he was at least thinking aloud. "You have to report back to Helen, tell her the job is done. She'll want to meet you, be sure that you're up to her standards. She'll ask you about your plan, you will tell her. This will work. This has to work."

Anna looked at Nate and he glanced back at her. She looked conflicted with emotion and that was one thing he was never good at, that's was Sophie's part in the parenting. He tried, well he wanted to try, but he always worried that he'd say the wrong thing, hurt her more. For half a second, he considered changing his plan just so she could be relieved, but what he had to do was get Sophie back for all of them.

"Everyone needs to be on top of their game. Anna, remember that Rose is your first priority. Quinn has a reason to be in the actual building that they're holding Sophie now, so you all are going to have to signal each other somehow. We have two hours 'til sunrise and Quinn, you're going to have to get out before then." Nate rubbed his hand over his face and shook his head. "Everyone back to bed. I need to think."

One by one, they filed out of the door, leaving Nate to plan. Anna spoke to no one, just went straight into Rosalie's room and curled up against Phantom. She had tears were burning in her eyes because of her confused emotions. She couldn't decide if she truly felt betrayed, or that somewhere, deep down, it scared her to know that Quinn chose her over the job.

Eliot followed Quinn down the steps and waited for him to turn around. "What?" he muttered picking his shirt up off the couch and starting to redress.

"You took a job that you knew you weren't going to finish." It was not a question, it was a statement. "You know the rules, either do the job or die trying. You're not allowed to switch sides."

Quinn looked up at Eliot waiting for the point. He was irritated, tired, and Anna was upstairs fuming. "Your point?"

Eliot shook his head. "You know the next person your boss calls will be someone to take care of the new problem: you. It's one thing to go rogue, it's another thing to be a rebel."

Quinn pulled on his shoes and cracked his knuckles. "What was I suppose to do? You all would have never seen a sniper coming."

"And neither will you," Eliot reminded him. Their tones were completely calm as the two men spoke with each other. "I wanted you to remember Anna when making decisions, and you just put yourself in front of a bullet."

"It might have hit her," Quinn replied back. Eliot watched Quinn stone face, searching for emotion, but there was none. He had taken the job of being her guardian angel, and this was the only way he knew how to do it. Eliot just hoped things worked out for him. "I will have to, uh, disappear for a while after this. I don't know how long, but," he cleared his throat, "take care of her."

Eliot nodded then extended his hand. Quinn looked at him for a moment, then shook it. "You've made your point and if you need us, let us know."

Quinn nodded and walked through the door. He had signed his own death certificate. Actually, he had just changed the name at the top.

He was a good man, and Eliot would be sure to emphasize that to the others. Quinn had Eliot's approval, if he was going to put Anna fist, he had his approval.

Quinn met with Helen at the park she had pull Rosalie from, both of them walking along the trail as if they were old friends conversing. She looked like she could have been his grandmother, but it didn't look extremely abnormal. "Eliot will have to go down first. One shot, if possible, to the head. Parker will be next, leaving the weakest for last. The girls will be easy. I'll make the oldest carry the child out and I will keep the gun against her back. When we drive, she will hold the toddler, the teenager won't be willing to risk hurting her sister."

Helen smiled. He was clean cut and smart. The plan sounded legitimate. He would do just fine. She gave him the address and walked back to her car where Peter was waiting for her. "So?"

"This should be fun to watch," Helen replied, an evil grin spreading across her lips.

Quinn touched his ear. "Okay, guys. I'm on my way."

*Anna*

Rose and I took this as our cue to go for a walk. Rose was my priority and responsibility, that included she stay as calm as possible and saw as little as possible. Nate had told Rose to do everything I said, and how important it was that she did obeyed. I put her in her stroller, tied Phantom's least around the handle, and walked out the door, giving each of my family members a nod.

As I turned the corner, I saw Quinn's red Nissan pull into our driveway. I took a deep breath. Around the block. Just a short trip around the block so we both could get some air.

"Mom, is there a camera showing the front of the house?" I asked wondering if we're going to have to make a scene in the front yard.

"_Yeah. Keep Rose focused on you the entire time. Do not let her say Quinn's name," _Sophie reminded me. She was whispering, afraid someone would hear her.

"You have no idea how much it annoys me that you're less than a mile away, cocky assholes," I muttered. My pace was faster than normal and I realized it when I had already turned the other corner.

"_Grifters stay close, you know that Anna. Personally, this has actually been a quite nice kidnapping, considering. Now, if you wouldn't have planted the com, those would not be the words I would be using," _Sophie said somewhat pleasantly. _"When I get home, I'm taking a shower and sleeping."_

I smiled. She was so calm, so sure that everything would be fine.

"_Good luck. Remember, everyone's in the house. You may get a shower and a short nap, but Parker and-"_

The sounds of Sophie's show began as a muffled gunshot rang out over the coms. I had to give her credit, she was extremely impressive. Her cries and screams were making me nervous, slightly sick to my stomach wanting to help her. You could hear Peter laughing at her and if I had to guess, he was jerking her around by the sound of her voice. The occasional sound of harder contact really made me sick as I rounded the corner again. I was nearly back.

"_How's it feel to lose everything?" _

Peter's voice made my stomach churn as I noticed Quinn's car was gone. Taking a deep breath, I walked up to the porch and kneeled down to unbuckle Rose and was not surprised to find her asleep. I pulled her into my arms and untied Phantom's leash.

Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself. The moment I opened the door, I found Eliot on his back, blood pouring from his forehead where the bullet hit. I dropped Phantom's leash and fell to my knees. I put my hand on Rose's head to be sure she didn't wake up and see the horrifying scene before me.

Tears hit my eyes and I was almost surprised by my own emotions. Even though I knew it was fake, it was so hard to see the people I cared about seemingly dead. "Eliot," I whispered, touching his face but being careful not to touch the fake blood that smelled of corn syrup. Phantom took and step toward the blood and I held up my hand for him to stay where he was.

Wiping my eyes, I got to my feet and felt the false panic hit. The kind of panic that you get in a haunted house; you know it's all fake but it still scares the hell out of you. My heart wrenched again when I saw Parker. Her shirt was bloody and she was laying with her eyes still open. Hardison was only feet away with his hand over his stomach and blood dripping from his mouth. I pulled Rose closer to me and backed away from him, shaking my head as though trying to shake the image out. "No…. no no no no no…" I whispered grabbing for Phantom's leash.

Something hard jabbed into my back. I froze and wrapped my arms around Rose to be sure she didn't move.

"Make this look real without waking Rosalie," I said calmly as he grabbed my arm and forced me into his car. "We're going to have to play this by ear."

"_We're loading up now, we'll be right behind you," _Nate said over the coms. _"Is Rose still sleeping?" _

I glanced down, she was awake, but barely, trying to go back to sleep. "Pretty much," I muttered as Quinn turned the corner, not bothering to stop at a stop sign. I raised my eyebrow at him. "We're leaving the scene of a crime and you're blowing stop signs during a fake kidnapping? You're brilliant."

He glared at me, but didn't say anything. I just smirked in victory.

"Nice acting by the way," he said, giving me a small shrug. "It really was, uh, good."

I gave him an odd look. "Uh, thank you?"

Quinn looked embarrassed. "I mean, really good. You know what I mean."

My eyebrow rose at him. "Not really." He grinned at me and suddenly I found myself grinning too. Then I started giggling. "Thanks."

"_Well ain't that adorable," _Hardison mocked, definitely not pleased. _"Stay focused people."_

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up, Hardison. Bite me. I'm a professional."

Quinn gave me a sideways look and tried to hide his grin. I loved that I could make him grin like that. A grin that someone wore when they knew they were doing something they weren't supposed to. I bit my lip, resisting kissing him. _Focus on the con, Anna…_

The car was forced into park and Quinn pointed the gun at me. "Ladies first."

It was like a switch. Immediately I was back into character, tears running down my cheeks as Quinn drug me into an older modeled house just outside the neighborhood. Mentally I commented that it was actually kinda pretty.

I tripped as Quinn threw me through the threshold, effectively waking Rosalie and startling her into crying. Glancing at him, I gave him a loaded glare, tears still running down my face and my cheeks still red.

A redheaded woman in her sixties came slinking toward me. She walked like Sophie, even wearing extremely high priced stilettos. Peter walked up behind her and placed a hand on her hip and I wanted to roll my eyes. How gross.

Peter grabbed me by the hair and jerked my head back to face him, effectively scaring Rose enough for her to scream.

Helen rolled her eyes. "Shut the brat up."

Peter moved to strike Rose, but caught his wrist surprising them both. Immediately, I dropped his wrist, but my eyes didn't release their glare. "Don't touch her."

Three men appeared from the living room and Helen pulled Rose from my arms as another man ziptied my wrists, something that Quinn never did.

"We'll get the money," I cried as Rose continued to scream. I was honestly beginning to feel the panic as a man moved toward Quinn and motioned for his hands. He muttered something about policy.

Quinn's wrist were ziptied too as they opened a poorly painted door to a cellar and tossed me through, effectively rolling down all of the fourteen steps. I groaned as I felt hands help me to my feet and looked into the slightly bruised face of Sophie. She gave me a concerned look before we both looked toward the top of the steps were Quinn was being led down followed by minions and Peter and finally Helen carrying Rose.

"Momma!" Rose screamed kicking at the old woman trying to get free.

Her large boney hand connected with Rose's cheek and Sophie lunged at Helen so quickly I didn't even know what really happened, but Rose was now in Sophie's arms and Helen was on the floor. The other people in the room all looked too shocked to move.

"Don't touch her," Sophie hissed.

Helen looked up at Sophie from the dirt floor. "Well you little-"

Quinn and I took our opportunity. I threw the back of my head into the man's mouth before turning around and kneeing him in the crotch. My hands were still tied behind my back so my balance was limited and so were my strike options.

Quinn kicked one guy in the gut followed by a swift head butt. I dove and rolled between Helen and Sophie, being sure she and Rose were completely behind me suddenly the ziptie was snapped and I turned around to see Quinn grinning flashing a knife and revealing that the three men behind us were most definitely out for the count.

"So, we have tough beauty and a rebel hitter. How cute. Beauty and the beast," Helen chuckled before dusting herself off. Quinn pushed me back toward Sophie and Rosalie as I heard a gun cock.

"Any bloody time, Nate," Sophie whispered, her arm across me, holding me back.

Helen freely moved past Quinn, regaining control of the situation with the gun in her hand and the one Peter was holding. Sophie kept me back, holding Rose with her other hand.

I watched as Helen put the gun into the back of pants and picked up the knife that Quinn had dropped. She dragged the point across Sophie's jaw.

"Leave her alone," I snapped, but my movement was halted by Sophie's tightened grip. Still, it gained Helen's attention.

She turned to me, a smug grin against her lips and her eyes darkened with evil. The knife moved to me and Sophie's grip loosened, giving me a chance for a better attack. "What's the matter, dearie? Protective of your dear ole mum."

The knife moved away from Sophie and she touched it to my nose. "And your sister. You're used to losing things, aren't ya? Figures, ya mum was too. Very damaged, so sad."

"Quinn?"

He took my hint and we both reacted. I pushed the boney hand away from my face and aimed for her nose, pushing her back into the furthest wall. The gun fired and I could see Sophie cover Rosalie against the wall and heard Quinn grunt. My distraction was obvious and I nearly caught a jab, but nailed her in the stomach with my knee and pinned her to the ground, winning the knife from her and holding it to her throat.

"I win," I told her.

Nate and the others busted in and Parker zip tied Helen's hands and grinned at me.

"What the hell took you so long?" I muttered, as Nate helped Sophie to her feet and held her and Rose. I nodded at them and then looked over to see Eliot taking care of Peter while Quinn held his shoulder.

"We hadda change-"

I pushed past her and moved over to him. Blood was oozing out of his shoulder and put my hand over his, helping add pressure. "If you let me take off your shirt we can use it to apply pressure," I told him.

He was holding his pain well. Reaching up, I helped him pull his black t-shirt over his head and hold in to the wound. He grimaced a little and I bit my lip and tried to think of a way to help. "Eliot, can I have a hand here?" I called over my shoulder.

"No, it's alright. It's a through and through. I'll just stitch it up when I get back to the hotel," he grumbled covering my hand that I held on his shoulder with his. "Really, Anna, I'm okay."

Eliot looked over at us. "Anna, take Quinn back to the hotel and make sure he gets that shoulder taken care of. We've got the rest."

Sophie gave me a tight hug and promised we'd spend tomorrow at home watching tv and movies with extremely buttery popcorn and whatever else sounds good. I helped Quinn into his car and took the keys out of his pocket without him even feeling them slid into my hand.

I found myself sitting in the floor of suite, sewing up a bullet would like I was an old pro. He poured me a glass of wine while he finished his second. "You cannot drink that until you're completely done," he said lightly.

I held up the needle with victory and reached for the glass of Morlet. "I think I didn't splendid, especially for my first try," I teased back and put it to my lips.

"I just have a high pain tolerance," he tossed back getting to his feet and pulling me up with his good arm. "So you headed home for the night?"

"Trying to get rid of me already? It's only nine. We could watch a movie. Keep up our tradition."

Collapsing onto the couch I started flipping through the channels. Quinn scratched the back of his head sat down on the coffee table in front of me. "Look, Anna, we have to talk."

Those words had a way of making your stomach feel empty and your throat get dry. Slowly, I looked back up at him. "Uh, alright?"

He shifted awkwardly and I could tell he was trying not to touch me. "Listen, Anna, I've got to… I've got to go away for a while."

Giving him a sideways look, I tried to get where he was going. "Okay? But you'll come back?"

He couldn't look me in the eye. "Look, I took that job so that your family could be safe, but now some bad people are going to be after me and I've got to lay low for a while."

Tears sprung to my eyes. "You're leaving. You're going into hiding?" I tried to say, my voice cracking miserably. Suddenly I was on my feet. "And this is because you took that damn job? You should've said no! You should have walked away from it! But no! You think we can't take care of ourselves!"

Quinn stood too, putting his hands out to my shoulders breaking his rule of not touching me. The one that I wasn't suppose to know he had. "Anna, if I didn't take that job-"

"We would've found another bloody way!" I snapped, pushing his hands off me and feeling all emotions hit me. "We can handle ourselves!"

"Damn it, Anna! You could have been killed! Do you not see that you could have been kill, that all those people that you love could have died and you wouldn't have been able to stop a damn bullet? I didn't do this for your team, not really, I did it for you!"

We fell silent at his words, him covering his mouth with his hand and shaking his head. "I want you to be safe and loved, and those people help that happen. You're like a glass doll, _my_ glass doll. This beautiful creature that sees past all the bad in me and can still… can still see the good… That's what makes me love you. But that awful woman was right, it's like Beauty and the Beast!"

His voice was cracking and I was moved deeply by his words. It was maybe the most beautiful thing anyone had ever said to me. Slowly, I moved toward him and slipped my hand into his. "Beauty still got her beast," I whispered, looking up into his eyes. "The beast still got his beauty."

The words I could not believe I had said came out of my mouth in such a tone I had never heard my voice turn to. He looked as shocked as I was, but he took his opportunity.

His hand cupped my cheek and I felt the touch of his lips on mine. It started out slow, then it grew. I had never felt a kiss like that. A kiss that I felt myself begging to get closer, my fingers clenching to his body, praying that he'd keep me in his arms forever. A fire burned in my stomach as he deepened the kiss and his hands slid down my back, until I jumped into his arms and wrapped my legs around his waist, my ankles crossed behind him.

His hands were on my thighs as we moved toward the bedroom, my hands already exploring his barechest. My body was so sensitive I couldn't tell if he was just touching me or pinching me as my shirt was pulled over my head and discarded somewhere along the path. I fell hard on the bed as my fingers fought to undo buttons of his jeans and he kissed down my jeans. It was amazing I was about get the damn thing undone with my mind unwilling to stay on the task at hand and the butterflies going mad in my stomach. The heat and the passion was more than anything I had ever felt before, but it was with the only person I could imagine sharing it with.

That night I fell asleep in his arms and the next morning I awoke to an empty bed. I'm really not sure what I expected, I knew he had to go, but I really didn't expect it to hurt so much. I rolled over onto his pillow and cried, feeling stupid and childish wishing for a happily ever after. Thieves didn't get those.

No. We got notes on the pillow that said:

_I'll come back, Anna. I'll always come for you._

At the moment the not felt inferior to the betrayal I felt when I called a cab to take me home or the humiliation I felt as I picked up my clothes from the hotel rooms floor and put them back on with the little dignity I had left.

As I walked into the house the next morning, Sophie was the only one up, making coffee and tea in the kitchen. I dropped my shoes in doorway as she tossed a smile over her shoulder at me.

"I slept for nearly 13 hours," she told me, busying herself in the kitchen. "I haven't done that since, well, before the team got together. Parker has a way of-"

I choked on a sob as she reached for her favorite mug, summoning her attention instantly. My face was red and splotch for the hour of endless crying and the horrible cab ride.

"Darling, what's wrong?" she asked me, the alarm evident in her voice.

"Momma," I cried running to her open arms and crying into her shoulder. "I did something stupid, Momma." The action probably didn't need to be spelled out since I had just walked in the house wearing the same clothes I wore yesterday and my hair not brushed. "Something so stupid, Momma."

Sophie held me and nodded, taking in all my heartbreak. To tell the truth, I felt even more passion toward Quinn now and I was not truly upset with giving him my body the night before. Nor was I truly upset he left, I knew he had to go. The reason I was crying my heart out to my mother was because I let him go to be hunted and I never said I love you too.

_**Next chapters should be a bit lighter. This heavy stuff is exhausting on my poor emotions. **____** Please review. **_


	75. All In

_**So, my copy and paste apparently doesn't like me. This was already written and went before the final Quinn/ Anna scene. That's what I get for updating at 2 AM. **_

*TEAM*

Nate pulled Sophie off the ground and into his arms, holding her and Rosalie as she clung to him, tears streaming down her face. Rose was still in a panic was calming down as she felt her parent's embrace around her. Nate glanced at Anna as she helped Quinn, seeming to be in a new world.

Sophie was dusty and he gently touched her face, running his hand over her bruised jaw and cheek. Still, she had never looked more beautiful to him. He almost felt greedy, wanting to take her home and never let her go. He never really considered himself a clingy person, especially not in a relationship, but as she kissed his lips and rested her head on his chest, he reconsidered going out on his new boat at all.

He ran his fingers through her hair and didn't let go as Sophie watched her mentor be led out of the room with her accomplice close behind. Finally, he pressed his lips to her forehead met her eyes. "Let's go home."

Rose was taken care of by the oldest three of the "children" while Nate stayed near Sophie. She had just walked out of the shower and looked extremely exhausted, drying her hair with a towel. She was trying to hide her pain, the kind that she felt when she touched her own cheek as well as looking at people that she had to watch be killed.

Sophie was trying to wash the images out of her head, one of the reasons her shower was nearly an hour and a half long. The only reason it was cut short was because she was tired of being alone. Thank God Nate didn't want to be far either.

"You know, it's really awful how real it feels," she said to him as she walked over to the bed and sat down next to him. Her tone was forced light as she gave him a half smile and he ran his hand down her arm and entwined their fingers. "As odd as it may seem, I've grown rather attached to you all."

Nate gave her a small smile as she leaned in to kiss him. "Especially me, right?"

She didn't answer him, just smiled as she let herself fall back on the bed and yawn. "The world seems so different when you lose control. You feel so small." She rolled over and looked at him, her hands underneath her chin.

Rolling over on his back, they both were laying with their heads at the foot of their bed. She gave Nate a funny look, he'd been acting odd all night.

"What?" she asked turning on her side and propping her head up against her fist.

He mirrored her position and held her hand. "You are so beautiful."

Much to his surprise, she laughed at him. "If you're worried about the broken table, it's alright. I'll survive without it."

"No-no-no. I don't care about the table." _Screw the table, _he thought. He took a deep breath and leaned in to kiss her lips. They lingered a bit longer than a usual peck, but not as long as one of their passionate duals. When they separated, their bodies had moved closer and now he was holding her just far enough away to look at her. "You are beautiful, talented, an amazing mother to two of the biggest trouble makers that ever stepped foot on the Earth, and, somehow, you're mine." Their lips met again and her big brown eyes were teary as they pulled away to meet his. "I love you."

It's amazing what hearing those words can do when you're hearing them from the right person. You get those butterflies you remember from your first romance and the longing from the most passionate one. She had heard the words before, but she had never felt so captured by them before. Though the feeling had always been there, it was so different to hear them from that one person that you know you're meant to be with.

Just like that, she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged and kissed him like she would never see him again and for a moment, in that cellar, she honestly believed she wouldn't. "I love you. God, Nate, I love you."

The words meant more to them than they realized. They had known each other's love for a while, but saying it out loud meant something new. It meant that they were all in. Sophie Devereaux and Nathan Ford were all in.

_**This was supposed to be in the last chapter, but that's what I get for trying to do everything half asleep. And for those of you extremely upset with Anna's decision in last chapter, just think about how angry Nate, Eliot, and Hardison will be. After all, they gave their permission for them to be together, but they definitely didn't have that in mind for a while. **_


	76. Secrets

_**Okay, I lied a little. There was a bit of unfinished business and its addressed in this chapter along with a whole new mystery. **_

*Team*

Nate jolted up and grabbed his car keys, only for Sophie to jump in front of him and snatch his keys out of his hand. This was supposed to be a calm conversation. Perhaps calm was not the correct term, but Sophie was hoping for less hostile.

"I'm going to kill him, forget the others, I'll fu-"

Sophie pushed Nate back toward the couch and gave him a warning glare. "You think I don't want to kill him? She's sixteen! She's a kid! I'm doing my very best to be understanding for her. You need to do the same."

Nate looked at Sophie and ran a hand over his face. What the hell was Quinn thinking? Nate thought the guy had a brain somewhere in that thick skull of his to wait a couple of years for Anna to at least be of legal age. Then again, Anna probably had no intention of coming home crying and telling Sophie what happened, but her sobs woke him up. He honestly knew that the others were in their rooms waiting for a sign that it was safe to come down.

"She didn't even want me to tell you, Nate. Emotions were really high last night, for all of us. He was leaving. Try to see everything through her eyes. She pursued him," Sophie was trying everything to convince herself as she was convincing Nate. Deep down, she wanted him killed as well.

Eliot crept from the top of the steps, ready to ask if he could start on breakfast, completely unnoticed by the couple arguing. "I'm sorry, I can't! They had sex! She's sixteen!" Nate shot back, keeping his voice low enough to keep it from traveling through a closed door, however not low enough to keep from Eliot hearing on the steps.

"They did what?" he snapped. Sophie glanced to the top of the steps, her expression horrified as he climbed down toward her. "Quinn slept with Anna? I'm going to kill him!" He moved quickly around her. "He's dead."

Sophie did not even try to stop him as he grabbed his keys and disappeared out the door. Nate gave her an "are you serious look". "Why didn't you stop him?" he asked gesturing toward the door that slammed behind him.

"Did you want to stand in the way of that?" she shot back. "Besides, he might actually succeed. You're not a hitter darling."

Eliot knew where Quinn would go first. You stay in the area for the first twenty hours so that whoever was sent to kill you will arrive as you're leaving. It's a good plan, it's a smart plan, unless you had sex with someone's little sister.

He drove to a little diner, just outside of town and pulled up behind it. Quinn's car was parked behind the dumpster and Eliot moved toward the diner with purpose, ready to drag Quinn out by his balls and kick his ass.

Throwing open the door to the bar, he saw Quinn sitting there, his mind somewhere else and his hand on his sweet tea. For a man who was being hunted, his self awareness was awful. Eliot could have killed him in a heartbeat, killed him. To be honest, he considered it. Even in front of all these people.

Instead he took a seat next to him and smiled at the waitress. "Just coffee please." She beamed at him and Quinn didn't look up.

"The Eliot Spencer that I once knew would have chosen something more along the lines of guerilla warfare," he grumbled knocking his scrambled eggs around his plate. "And would be drinking sweet tea."

Eliot shrugged. "People change and that wouldn't be efficient for the kind of pain I want to bring you," Eliot said in such a low voice it gave him chills. Quinn knew he couldn't look at Eliot because he didn't know what his face would say. "You slept with my sister."

Quinn just kept playing with his food like a kid. "It's hard to remember she's not an adult."

Eliot sipped his coffee and shook his head. "No, you don't get to say that. You knew the rules and you broke them."

Quinn dropped his fork and laid a twenty on the table. "What do you say we talk about this outside?"

The older hitter nodded and tossed a bill on the table and followed him out. They walked around to the back of the building and Quinn stood there, kicking at the gravel with his hands in his pockets. Eliot wasn't sure what to do. Yeah, he wanted to kill him, but Quinn was trying to figure what he was supposed to do. Almost to see if he was paying attention, Eliot took a swing at Quinn and he didn't even try to dodge it, letting it him in the face.

"She's sixteen!" Eliot yelled finding a relief in the contact as Quinn stumbled but stayed on his feet. "She's a kid."

He hit him again, this time in the gut. Quinn hit the ground, but immediately pulled himself back up, not willing to fight back. It just wasn't bringing the same relief that Eliot thought it would.

Eliot lowered his fists. "Get in your car and leave. I don't want to ever see you around Anna again."

Quinn finally looked up at Eliot. "You know I can't do that."

Of course Eliot knew that. He ran a desperate hand into his hair as he tried to thank. "I want to kill you, rip you apart piece by piece. Then let Nate and Hardison have whatever's left of you, but I won't do that. Anna wouldn't forgive me. But I am not ready to forgive you either."

Eliot grabbed Quinn by the collar and forced him against the brick wall of the building. He screwed Anna then disappeared in the night. He deserved to be killed. Quinn wasn't willing to fight him, he just kept letting Eliot beat him.

"I love her, I can't stay away forever," Quinn told him softly.

"Then stay away for now, because if you come near her again before you have all of our permission, I won't let you walk away. You'll be in a million pieces scattered over this continent," Eliot hissed, shoving him hard against the brick. "Do you understand me?"

Quinn nodded and was dropped rubbing his stitches as he got himself off the ground. Eliot watched as he climbed into his car and pulled out of the parking lot, heading the opposite direction of Anna. He sighed and growled before throwing his fist into the brick. He didn't know what the hell he was supposed to do.

*Anna*

Sophie had sent me up to my room, muttering about how we'll talk more about it later. She told me I would feel better after a hot shower and wearing some fresh clothes. In a way, I guess she was right. I had calmed down a lot since I first walked through the doors and the raw emotion from before was no longer as raw.

That was until I walked downstairs in fresh clothes after a hot shower to find everyone in the house staring at me. Immediately I looked to Sophie. "You told them."

Her cheeks turned a guilty shade of red as she rubbed the back of her head. "Well-"

"What's for breakfast?" I snapped moving past all of them.

How humiliating could this be? Walk into your kitchen for breakfast and your entire family is staring at you because you had sex last night. Is there a more sufficient walk of shame? Grabbing a plate out of the cabinet and a mug for tea, I felt them still staring.

"Come on, let's hear it," I muttered, pouring my tea and adding a bit of sugar.

"This is a conversation for you and me, Anna, not a conversation at the breakfast table," Sophie replied, the slight hint of warning in her voice.

Eliot and Nate both opened their mouths but were silenced by Sophie clearing her throat. I didn't feel like playing this game. "Oh come on, Mom, you couldn't keep your mouth shut, why should they keep theirs?"

If that didn't get change the temperature in the room, I'm not sure what would. Putting the tea to my lips, I turned around and looked at the shocked expression on everyone's face. Well, the shock wore off Sophie's face a lot faster than everyone else's. It looked a little guilty, but then it flashed to anger.

To be honest, I wished I didn't say it either. Not that I truly regretted my words, but they were not really a good choice at the moment. Very rarely did I verbally attack Sophie, mostly because I always ended up not only eating crow, and feeling awful as well.

I put down my tea and looked away from her. "I'm sorry, you're right." The _please don't hurt me _was silently tact on there at the end.

Sophie gave me another glare but nodded and patted the seat next to her at the table. Rose was sitting in her lap, making a mess of her scrambled eggs as Sophie tried to eat around her. Eliot was sipping his coffee and reading the paper while the rest of us avoided eye contact. Parker didn't seem to be fazed by the awkwardness.

"So. Helen's in jail thanks to some of your stolen paintings. For a classy lady she had some very ugly language," Parker commented, her eyes getting big to get her point across. Sophie even chuckled a bit, absently touching the bruise on her cheek.

Nate was watching her closely; his body language even seemed to be aimed to her.

"Yeah, and the Peter guy kept saying he wanted to see Anna. Something about William and-"

Sophie cleared her throat, but the damage was done.

"Yeah. Peter kept saying that Anna was Will's. How weird is that?" Hardison asked looked up at Sophie and putting his fork down, a sure sign that he was not about to drop it. The rule of no prying seemed to be forgotten at the moment.

Sophie took a deep breath while the other's all glanced down, trying not to intimidate her. It was weird, watching Sophie squirm slightly.

"She does favor William, in small amounts," Sophie said simply taking a bite of her eggs and shrugging. "So does Rose." There was something in her voice that I couldn't quite read, but I knew better than to push. It was obviously painful and just by the way she wouldn't look at me made it obvious that something she saw caused her to hurt even more.

Parker opened her mouth to say something, but this time I stepped in. "So, are we just staying put or continuing with our hiatus? I mean, we can't seem to stay away from each other."

"Well, I'm not sure about taking off on the boat quite yet, but let's not make any decisions right now," Nate replied, collecting his empty plate and putting it in the sink. Rose reached up for him and Sophie passed her on and collected her own plate.

The rest of the team thought it was a good idea to occupy themselves for a while. I kept my mind on my piano, playing soft tones to muffle my emotions that were appropriately being shelved with the rest of my pain I ignored. One day that shelf would collapse, but it's not right now.

Sophie sat beside me on the bench and waited for me to end the tune. Part of me was tempted to keep playing, ignore her presence, but she was trying.

I stood up and walked around to one of the bookshelves and glanced at the collection we had. Between the four of us living here, we had an impressive amount of art history, dead people's biographies, mystery, romance, crime, and classic novels. Not to mention all of Rosalie's Dr. Sues collection and other children's books.

I ran my finger over the spine of my favorite novel, _To Kill a Mockingbird¸_ and sighed. It was an odd comfort to see the book there and touch the smooth covers.

"Quinn's too old for you to be playing this game, Anna. Everyone else is angry at him and ignoring the fact that you are just as much to blame, if not more," Sophie told me, not using her usual gentleness. "You act like an adult, I'll treat you like one. You made a mistake. You slept with him when you knew that you shouldn't."

I didn't speak, I didn't turn around, I just kept shelving my emotions. She didn't know what I was feeling. She couldn't.

"Anna, you will have to live with this decision for the rest of your life. Do you honestly-"

I'll have to live with his decision? "For God's sake. Shut up," I snapped spinning around. "You slept with Nate when you weren't even admitting your feelings to him. Quinn admitted his feelings and I admitted mine and that's what happened. Yes, I'll have to live with the fact that I slept with my first love, but you know what, at least I knew I loved him before I slept with him."

It was like I couldn't control the words that were spilling out of my mouth. "You slept with William. Did you love William?"

Sophie wasn't backing down from the fight. "You're sixteen, he's twenty-four."

My eyes rolled in defiance. "Alright? I break the law several times a week and you have-"

Sophie slammed down her hand on the table. "Shut up, Anna. Shut up. You didn't think. Did you even think to use protection?"

My face fell. That was a very good question that had me suddenly feel sick to my stomach. We did, didn't we? Yes, we did, I remembered now. "Of course we did," I snapped, but Sophie had already seen me having to stop and think about it.

"See, Anna? Are you prepared for the consequences of on minor slip out? Absolutely not. Damn it Anna." Sophie tossed back. "You're impulsive."

I bit my lip. "I don't know what I was thinking. Is that what you want me to say? One minute I was joking with him and then he told me he was leaving and I was mad and hurt and then he looks upset and he…" I looked at my mother desperately. "He said all these things that I just didn't know how to respond to and I don't know…"

Sophie's face softened and she put her hands on my shoulders, silently encouraging me to go on. "I know I should have waited, but I'm not sorry I didn't. He's not coming back anytime soon, so you don't have to worry for a while."

"I'm worried about you, Anna. You keep everything built up and I'm worried that you'll crack. You're smart and beautiful and extremely talented, but you're still a kid," Sophie reminded me, effectively making me feel stupid. I knew she was right.

I looked up at her, ready for the subject to change. "I'm glad you're okay, Mom. Helen was your mentor?"

She flinched slightly. "That's the nice was of putting it. I'm not proud of those days. I hurt a lot of people," she told me softly, sitting down on the leather couch in the activity room. I sat next to her, my feet tucked underneath me. "Do you know what I thought about when I saw you for the first time? Conning your way into the pocket of _my_ mark with your big brown eyes dancing with mischief, do you know what I saw?"

I blinked at her and shook my head.

"Me. I saw what Helen saw when she first saw me. Talent, beauty, the ability to be so much more than you already were," Sophie said dreamily. "I never wanted to someone to pass on my skills to. I mean, I taught the team what they needed to know, but you were my chance to really teach someone.

"At first it was just that, the one con was me seeing what you were truly capable of and then you proved yourself when you saw it falling apart and reacted and saved the con. Then I fought for you to stay, I wanted to teach you, just teach you. Yet, somehow, you managed to get your way into my heart and here we are now."

Sophie sighed and shook her head. "I wanted to show you comfort, show you the good and bad of grifting. I wanted to be to you what Helen was never to me. That's probably how I became your mother. Something she definitely wasn't."

"And William?" I pressed gently.

She inhaled. "I thought William was my way out but I only got hurt worse," she replied shortly.

Phantom trotted through the door and laid his head on her knee while I watched her expression. This was one of the first times I realized that Sophie needed Rose and me and much as we needed her. I clung to her arm and snuggled my nose against the sleeve of her shirt.

Still, there was questioned that burned in me. A very annoying questioned that burned in me. If I really shared features with William, wouldn't that just cause her more pain?

I knew better than to ask the question, I just let her pull me into her side and kiss my temple.

Sophie patted my leg and it was a sign to stand up. I did so and helped her to her feet as well and looked at her bruised face. A pang of guilt hit me and I shifted my eyes away from her. She saw it and draped her arms around my shoulders.

"I wouldn't worry too much about me, love. You have to worry about the boys killing someone or locking in your room until your twenty-five," she teased lightly. My face fell even more and shifted my weight. She squeezed my shoulders and walked with me out of the room. "You know, things usually work out around here."

She was absolutely right. Things usually did work out around here, even if they just took a little while.

"Yeah, I know," I muttered as we walked into the living room where Hardison was on his computer and Parker sitting next to him upside down with her head against the leg rest, staring at the TV.

Eliot glanced at me and Parker noticed. She rolled off the couch and beamed at me. "Hey! Let's play a game, okay?"

Everyone looked at her surprised as she grabbed my arms and spun me in a happy circle. Her excitement was odd and I wasn't sure how to take it. "Where are we going?" I asked as she dragged me toward the back of the house and out the sunroom that revealed the cloudy Portland sky as it poured down rain.

"Outside!" she told me sliding open the storm doors and pushing me out into the fenced in back yard. My bare feet hit the wet grass and I was surprised by how slick it was and grabbed Parker's arm to keep me from sliding into the mud.

I looked at her like she was crazy before looking up at the sky that was pouring down large rain droplets. They were warmed by the summer heat and I was amazed by such a unique feeling. Boston rain was always unbearably cold and it was awful getting caught in it. Now there were times when I lived in Missouri that I could remember playing in the rain, _dancing _in the rain.

Rose appeared in the doorway, her eyes wide as she watched Parker do a cartwheel in the grass. Nate barely caught Phantom's collar before he ran out toward me only to get muddy and track dirt through the house.

"You get sick, I'm not taking care of you," Nate said lightly, trying to slide the door shut, but was having difficulty with Rose and Phantom both trying to escape.

I laughed and raised arms to spin in the grass. Parker joined me, laughing with me. We both fell onto the grass and laughed even harder.

Hardison and Eliot appeared behind Nate followed by Sophie wearing a humored grin. "Ya'll are crazy," Hardison muttered shaking his head and watching both of us pretend to make angels in the mud and grass.

My clothes were drenched. My jean shorts darkened and my tank top clinging to me as Parker pulled me to my feet and held onto my hands. "Go away!" Parker called to them lightly. She looked back at me, grinning slightly. "Anna and I gotta talk."

The surprise on all of their faces was amusing, but they all cleared out of the sunroom and disappeared to somewhere else in the house. Parker looked at me, rain darkening her face and smearing the little make up she had on. I was doomed to always be shorter than her and Sophie and they stood about the same height, but I never felt like I had to look up to Parker like I did Sophie. Parker and I were closer to equals. Not quite equals, but I looked at her more like a sister than a mentor and a mother.

She studied my face for a long moment and I wasn't sure what she was looking for. "You had sex with Quinn, huh?" she said bluntly, letting an amused smile play on her mouth.

Parker didn't make me feel ashamed, she never did. That was what I loved about Parker. Suddenly, I started laughing. It was a welcomed relief. Someone not trying to make me regret my decision, to force me to hate it because they saw it as a mistake, someone that just wanted me to talk about it. Sophie was too much of my mother, she let her own emotions toward something stand in the way. She never would purposely hurt me, and I knew where she was coming from, but I was thankful for Parker being my best friend.

"Yeah," I said through my giggles.

I was so thankful for her to be joking toward me, for the nonjudgmental smile. The big sister trust and curiosity that was gleaming in her eyes.

"Well?" she pressed as we stood in the pouring rain, laughing like idiots.

"It was the most alive I've ever felt."

She beamed at my answer. "More alive than when you're jumping off a building?"

I nodded at her and jumped toward her giving her a hug. All I could do was laugh.

*Team*

Sophie glanced over her shoulder to where her daughters were laughing and chatting. Eliot also glanced toward the window. "I've never heard Anna laugh at that," he commented as Rose did what Eliot liked to call Toddler Martial Arts. Nate and Sophie found it a bit disturbing to watch their two year old practicing putting her hips in punches and how to distribute her weight, but it tired her out and they assumed it would be good in the future.

Sophie glanced at Nate, an almost sad expression creasing her forehead. "Me either."

Nate saw the sadness and watched it melt into guilt.

"Kid shouldn't be laughing. Kid should be locked in her room til she's thirty wearin' a chastity belt," Hardison grumbled his eye big and talking mostly to the computer screen.

Almost everyone in the room made a half sound of agreement, but they all felt the guilty sting, except Hardison.

Suddenly Sophie put her hand against her forehead. "We're terrible people," she muttered shaking her head. "How could we treat her like that? Do you remember what it was like? That first time with the person you love?"

Eliot's eyes flashed back and he rubbed his hand over his face too. "Amy's dad nearly killed me," he said with half a laugh. "Talk about taking a roll in the hay though."

The rest of the room chuckled with him. Nate and Sophie just gave each other a knowing look and Hardison stayed quiet. He didn't want to talk about it, which probably meant his first time with someone he loved was with Parker and none of them really wanted to hear it either.

"After all the terrible things that happened to her lately, all the sexual trauma of her past, how can we treat her like she did something wrong?" Sophie asked already kicking herself.

"Okay, she's been through a lot so sleeping with a guy that's eight years older than her probably just feeds into the complex. She shouldn't have done it. He shouldn't have done it. Hell, you should have dragged her ass home at eleven like normal parents!" Hardison said forcing his computer closed. Obviously he was taking this harder than the rest of them.

This surprised all of them as he stood up and moved toward the kitchen, fishing out a bottle of orange soda that took up an entire shelf in their fridge. He twisted it open and took a dramatic swig.

"I know that we're all protective of Anna, but you seem almost hostile toward Quinn, more than Eliot," she studied noticing how he turned even more frigid.

Hardison shrugged her off and sat down where his computer was. "Tell me you don't hate him right now."

No one made a comment, but Anna's giggles lightened the air followed by Parker's own childish giggle. Maybe they did want to kill him, but they couldn't help to think how wonderful it was to hear real laughter again from that girl.

Anna and Parker came in later with their teeth chattering and drenched to the bone. Nate greeted them at the door with towels and laughed at both of them as they shook their hair off at him like dogs. That night Parker and Anna ate dinner in the pajamas, barefoot and cross legged on the floor. Their bond had been more obvious lately. Nate also noticed that Anna was taking on a new protective personality, ready to jump in front of any member of the team at any moment. It amazed him. She really didn't seem like she was sixteen, nearly seventeen.

The only part of her that resembled a child was the part of her that needed Sophie and himself. That's probably why she and Parker got along do well. They both still needed to feel loved because they weren't shown it correctly or when they needed it most.

All the kids were in bed. Since Eliot had left after dinner, Parker was in her room and Hardison had moved to the other guest room. Ironically, they decided to keep the cameras, but they were only to be used in emergency and were protected through software Hardison had put up.

"You're thinking you should have approached her more gently," Nate said later as Sophie changed into her silk shorts and top dropping her clothes into the hamper on the other side of the room. Nate tied and retied the draw strings of his pajama pants. Her lack of response was response enough.

His hands moved around her hips and he pulled her against him. "You're her mother, not her best friend. You were not wrong. She has to start thinking about the consequences of her actions. Something she seems to be particularly bad at."

His lips pressed against the area right behind her ear and let them linger a bit longer to begin his work. His tongue flicked against her skin and he felt her shiver as his hands moved up her side. Taking a deep breath, he inhaled the smell of her skin. It was like a scent he could never quite describe but he always loved.

"Nate," she moaned rolling her head back. "This isn't fair. You're trying to get me to forget the problem."

His hot breath hit her neck as he chuckled softly making her quiver beneath his hands. "That's my job." His hands were up her shirt, exploring her chest when suddenly their bedroom door was pushed open and they jumped apart to see Rose holding Anna's Teddy in one hand and her blankie in the other.

The perks of parenthood.

She looked distressed and immediately Nate bent down to her level. Slowly she trudged toward him before carefully glancing at Sophie with an unreadable expression. "I wanted to check on Momma," Rosalie said softly hanging her head and not looking either of her parents.

Sophie moved toward her youngest and felt pained as she shifted away from her. "I'm right here, little love. Why were you coming to check on me?" she asked her youngest daughter, who rarely had a shy bone at all and never at all when it came to her mother.

"Cause you looked sad and I was scared you'd be gone, Momma."

Nate glanced at Sophie and he could see the guilt in your eyes. She bent down and took her daughter's hands in her own. "You remember when I came home a couple days ago and I hugged you and gave you kisses?"

There was a small nod from Rose as she started to meet Sophie's eyes. "Do you remember what I said? I said that I would never be away from you and your sister for long, and I keep my promises, especially to you girls."

Rose nodded and moved toward her finally wrapping her arms around her mother's neck, ready to be carried off to bed. But they were surprised again when they looked up and saw their other daughter walking through the door with an arm full of something or other.

Anna's cheeks turned the slightest shade of pink when she realized she may be interrupting something. "I'll just talk to you later," she muttered, turning on her heels to make an escape.

"No, it's alright, Ans. What cha got there?" Nate asked climbing on the bed and accepting the fact he probably wasn't getting any tonight.

Anna slowly moved toward the bed as Sophie and Rose made themselves comfortable on top of the comforter. "Well…" Anna said slowly. "The day at the park you said you wished you could have seen me when I was Rosalie's age…" She dropped the contents of her arms on the bed and reveals two large photo albums. The letter Cory had written to her were still hidden away, but this was a step. "These were given to me the same night Cory handed over Rosalie."

Nate moved closer to the albums, watching Anna's expression the entire time as he pulled the book toward him and opened the first page. He noticed Anna didn't want to see the contents as did Sophie as she leaned toward Nate to glance over his shoulder.

Anna was a gorgeous child. Her curls nearly black when she was young. Sophie didn't make a sound as she looked at the picture with Rose curled into her torso fighting sleep and Anna sat at the foot of their bed. Her eyes were down and her hair was falling into her face. When she caught one of their eyes, she'd force a smile, but it was no secret that this was very difficult for her.

Nate looked up and was surprised to realize that Anna was not the only person in the room who was having difficulty looking at the pictures. Sophie was too. He chucked it off to what he was having difficulty seeing. A six year old with her arm in a sling, giving the same forced smile Anna still uses today. Anna as a toddler being drug around by a body guard while her mother ignores her. Twelve year old Anna with a bruised face and a bloody lip, hiding the pain flawlessly.

Sophie put her hand on Anna's thigh and rubbed it gently. "Thank you for sharing it with us," she told her, watching her expression.

Anna met Sophie's eyes and tried to smile. "You're my parents, you're supposed to be allowed to see these things," she replied lightly.

Nate watched as Anna turned to him, he big brown eyes searching his expression. He wasn't sure what she was trying to find, but the small smile on her lips told him that she found it.

There were so many secrets hovering in the house right now that it was making the air thick with tension at times. There were too many secrets in the past, and he wondered how long they could stay that way. The question was though, who was holding the biggest secret?

_**Secrets, secrets, secrets. Will we learn about the secrets? Maybe, maybe not. Hehehe. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review!**_


	77. Charlotte

_*Twenty-Three Years Ago*_

_There once was a young woman, her hair was dark, nearly black. Her skin was olive and her eyes were wide and a deep brown. Though her clothes were not by any means extravagant, she walked with a certain class that was unmistakable. Her head was always held high and she didn't seem to fear anything in the world. But the million dollar question was: What was she doing working at a pub for tips and inappropriate slaps on the ass?_

_She worked her deft hands into the pockets of her costumers, taking the money and returning their wallet without anyone the wiser. Her intelligence was obvious, being able to hold a conversation about anything and lie easily through her teeth in such a way that it would make people question the proven truth. People were naturally drawn to her, a moth to her passionate fire. _

_That's why they chose her._

"_She's a natural," the younger woman whispered as the girl's flirtatious laugh captured yet another mark. She flipped her dark hair over her shoulder as she sipped on her beer. "She's quite pretty, too. Come on, you know she's perfect."_

"_She'll do," the red headed older woman replied, not sounding nearly as enthralled at her pupil. _

_The young bartender closed up for the night, locking the door to the pub behind her. Immediately the two strange women fell into step beside her. She paused and held up her hands glancing between the small dark haired woman and the curvy redhead. "I don't want any trouble."_

_She was British. Odd for Irish pub. Yet somehow it was appropriate with an Italian and an Irishwoman tailing her. The redheaded woman took a step closer to the bartender. She was barely more than a child. "How old are you, dear?" _

_The bartender swallowed, absently running her hand over the pocket of her jeans where she was holding her night's earnings. "Nineteen."_

"_She's perfect," the shorter woman encouraged with enthusiasm. "You know she's perfect."_

_The bartender looked between the women before her, worry and fear playing on her eyebrows. The redhead moved closer to her again. "What if I told you you could be rich beyond your wildest dreams? Be able to live anywhere and never have to worry about how much money is in your pocket, what would you say to me?"_

_The bartender studied the Irish redhead. "I would say that you don't like any genie I've ever seen."_

_The redhead threw back her head and laughed. It was a cold laugh that gave the young bartender chills. "Well, I tell you what, I'll teach you how to grant your own wishes," she replied. "If you aren't teachable you're more than welcome to come right back here."_

_The bartender thought for a long moment, studying both the women in front of her. She had nothing left so there was nothing to lose. She wanted a life, a real life, but it felt impossible to even imagine at the moment. "Alright," she said softly, unsure of what she was getting herself into. _

"_You, my dear, can call me Helen," the redhead introduce, offering out her hand on the cold Irish street. _

_The bartender extended her hand to take it. "I'm-"_

"_Don't tell me who you are," the woman cut her off. "Tell me who you want to be."_

_The bartender retracted her hand in confusion. "I'm sorry?"_

_Helen waved it off. "I don't care who you are, what your name is. Tell me what you want your name to be."_

_This surprised the young woman even more, but she stuck out her hand again. "Charlotte."_

_Helen accepted her handshake and studied the woman's face. "Your mother's name, maybe?" The shock on the bartender's face told Helen she was right. "Don't worry, dear. You're secret's safe with me."_

_Charlotte looked past Helen to the small dark haired woman with her arms crossed. "And you are?"_

_A sinister smile spread across the Italian woman's lips. "Just call me Missy."_

*TEAM*

Sophie sat on the back porch swing, lazily day dreaming, while Rosalie hummed and danced around in the damp grass and jumped in a puddle a few times with her rubber boots. Anna was helping Nate pack his boat before he headed out, but Sophie had a theory that Nate was just trying to spend a bit more time with Anna. He may have realized how fast she was growing up and her birthday was next week. The last year had gone by slowly, but at the same time in the blink of an eye. Nothing was the same anymore. This had drastically changed.

She was completely unaware that Nate had been spending more time with their oldest because she had been spending less. Though, she almost hadn't realized her own withdraw. The irritability she noticed, but she had a lot on her mind lately, things that Anna didn't need to know about.

"Mom, what do you think of me chopping my hair off?" Anna suddenly appeared around the corner of the house with twisting the bubblegum that was in her mouth around her index and middle finger. "About…" she stretched the gum and motioned just her shoulder, "that long?"

Sophie gave her a pointed look. "Don't play with your gum, it's not polite," she replied back deflecting the question.

Anna popped her gum in her mouth and grinned at her mother like she was playing a game, because she very well was. "What's wrong, Mom?" she teased noticing her mother's particularly sour attitude. "You're not chipper this afternoon."

Nate, who had walked through the gate shortly after Anna noticed Sophie's tension and withdraw immediately, even to Anna's playful, ornery antics. He glanced around the yard to see Phantom trotting behind Rosalie as she played in the puddles and mud. Normally Sophie would have tried to prevent the two year caking herself in mud, but she had obviously given in and even dressed her for the occasion. Something was up. Then again, something had been up since Helen came into their lives.

He had pieces, little pieces that went to the bigger picture but he didn't have enough to put it all together. Sophie rarely raised her voice without reason to Anna and lately all they had done was fight. Sophie picked fights with correcting Anna's little quirks and trying to correct them, Anna picked fights by exaggerating her poor behavior and pushing other buttons.

This was just another one of their rounds that had happened several times over the last month. He only left on the boat for short periods of time mostly because he was coming back to more and more tension. Even with the others were starting to become leery of the two Sophie and Anna's attitude toward each other. Honestly, it was mostly Sophie's attitude and Anna's reaction to it. But that wasn't the only tension in the team.

Hardison's attitude toward Quinn hadn't changed and he was beginning to wonder what Hardison knew that the rest of them didn't. Eliot was taking a few steps back letting Anna fight the battles in the house, and Nate was pretty well just as guilty for it.

The girl was caught between keeping peace and sticking up for herself which was probably chose a joking way of fighting back. It had to end soon before something really bad happened.

"Anna, I'm truly not in the mood," Sophie replied back, irritably.

The hurt in Anna's eyes was obvious, not that Sophie noticed because she didn't even glance at her. Still, Anna didn't want to give up. "Come on, have a little fun," Anna tried, giving Sophie a little shove with her shoulder trying to get into the swing next to her.

Sophie gave Anna a warning look and Anna's entire face fell. That Sophie did notice. The regret hit her, but she didn't try to fix it. Instead, she just looked away so no one else would see it.

"I like your long hair," she said finally before standing up and moving into the house.

Anna looked up at Nate with a desperate expression. She wanted Sophie back. So did he.

Sophie stood in the kitchen, taking several deep breaths. Taking jabs at Anna was not something she meant to do, but she had been so… depressed. Helen coming into her life really screwed thing up in her head. Her and Peter both. Why couldn't the past just stay in the past? Now it was taking over her thoughts and she didn't know how to fix it.

Still, that wasn't Anna's fault. All Anna was trying to do was get Sophie's attention. She really wasn't doing anything wrong, and Sophie knew her patience had evaporated lately. With Quinn being gone, Anna needed Sophie to be open to listening.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the kitchen freezer and fished out spoons from the drawer. Time to quit moping and be a mother.

She came back through the door a minute later carrying a pint of ice cream and offering Anna a spoon. Anna's face lit up at the offer, not because she wanted ice cream, but because it was the first time Sophie had shown her real affection in a while. "You, me, ice cream and whatever you want to do, love," Sophie told her, offering her hand to her daughter and pulling her into a hug.

The hug felt different. Maybe the guilt was too obvious or maybe it was just a little sudden, but whatever it was it scared Anna more. She found herself clinging to her mother and glancing at Nate for an explanation.

He felt guilty that she even needed one.

_Twenty-One Years Ago_

_Charlotte and Missy exchanged sisterly hugs as Missy prepared herself for her wedding. They had grown closer in the last few years. Missy was three years older than Charlotte, but had been with Helen since her mother died when she was fifteen. There were times where Missy couldn't hide her jealousy of Charlotte as Helen praised her abilities and natural grifting skills, but at the end of the day, she was the only sister she had. _

_His name was Tony, an Italian American who was a very rich man. Perfect target for a grifter. She had bigger plans though. "I love him Charlotte, don't tell Helen," Missy whispered, her eyes watery with tears. "I'll keep paying her, but I'm done. I just want to be with him."_

_Charlotte gave Missy a brave smile and put a hand on her friend's stomach. "Stay safe, and keep that little one safe too."_

_Missy covered Charlotte's hand on her belly. "I think it's a boy."_

_This made Charlotte laugh heartily. "You only just found out you were pregnant and you already sound like you know for sure."_

_Both women smiled. "I just have a feeling."_

_Charlotte played with the ring on her own finger. It had been there for a month and it still felt alien. "William's going to be here, think you can handle it?" she asked as she squeezed her friend's hand._

_Missy flinched at her half-brother's name. "He hasn't the slightest idea I'm his father's bastard, so what's it matter?" Her dark brown eyes darkened with evil. "When are you going to do it anyway? I'm getting tired of waiting for the man who let my mother die to get what's coming."_

_Charlotte didn't show the hesitation she felt. Helen had made her do many things in her life that made her hate the person she was. Conning was one thing, and she even hated doing it to people who needed the money. She preferred to take from the rich, people who could live without the money she stole. _

"_You know I have to wait until we're married or you get nothing. Don't worry, he'll get what's coming though," she replied, so used to lying by now she didn't even flinch. _

_If people would have just actually taken a good look at Missy, she shared so many characteristics of her brother William. The same chin, the same eyes, even the same crooked grin. But no one ever thought to try and see similarities. _

_Missy looked at Charlotte for a long time. Her hair was down, covering the bruise just behind her ear and she wore a dress jacket to hide the others on her back. Guilt and sadness came to Missy's eyes. _

"_I'm sorry. Really. I never thought he'd hurt you like that," she said shocking Charlotte a bit. _

_Unlike Missy, Charlotte's relationship with William was not as a fairytale. Charlotte loved him, but in a way that you grow fond of someone that holds a power over you. It was like how people learned to love their kidnappers. Or maybe she made herself love him so that she could make him fall in love with her._

_The forced smile hit her lips. "It was nothing." Truthfully, she had pushed the wedding back as far as she could because she was afraid to imagine what it would be like living with the man full time. Helen didn't care that her lip was bleeding or that her shoulder was bruised. Helen wanted the money and Missy wanted revenge. _

_Charlotte just wanted out._

"Mom?" Anna asked for the third time, pulling Sophie out of her haze again as the three other people at the table stared at her. Nate's expression was clearly worried, but Anna still looked hurt. "Are you alright?"

She forced a smile back at her daughter and reached for her wine glass. "Of course, sweetie."

Rosalie didn't even buy it. "Momma, are you sad?" she asked as Nate picked her up from her high chair and took her over to the sink to wash her hands.

Anna cleared the other plates, leaving Sophie alone at the table. She kept thinking about Missy and Helen. "Oh no, darling. How can I be sad with you around?" she asked Rose, still holding her fake cheerfulness.

Anna looked at Nate for help again and he could only give her a reassuring pat on the back. He wanted to tell his daughter that her mother would be back to normal in no time, but he never liked to make his children promises he couldn't keep.

That night, Sophie had agreed to give Rosalie her bath giving Nate a period of time where he knew she would be occupied.

There were boundaries in Nate and Sophie's relationship that they both silently agreed not to mess with. Just like Anna, they would share what they needed to when they needed to. But with Sophie's most recent behavior, Nate ignored the silent promise and popped up the board in their closet revealing Sophie's floor safe.

He had borrowed "Parker 2000" (or Hardy according to Parker) and let the frog machine work its magic.

He was not surprised to find at least two hundred thousand dollars in different world currency. There were small artifacts and some extremely high priced stolen jewelry as well placed delicately in boxes in the safe. But toward the bottom of the metal box in the furthest corner was a shoe box.

Reaching down, he retrieved the box and placed it on the floor in front of him. For a long moment, he considered putting the box back, respecting Sophie's space and waiting for her to come to him. But it had been too long and their kids were suffering for it.

As he drew in a breath, he pulled the top of the shoe box open and was amazed to see dozens of photos. Pictures of what he could assume were her parents and family, pictures of a dog he had never seen before, pictures of him and her before they were even on the same side of the law, all kinds of pictures throughout Sophie's life. He took a handful and shuffled through them, feeling extremely guilty for breaking into his lover's past.

That was until he came across a picture of a wedding. Sophie was young and beautiful, in a long navy blue dress, hugging the bride. There were several other people in the picture and it made him nauseas when he recognized some of them.

"What are you doing?" a horrified voice came from the doorway.

Sophie didn't wait for a response, just pulled the box away from him, shoving the photos back where they belong and holding them to her. "How dare you!"

"Me?" he nearly shouted in return. "Tell me why there's a picture of you at Antonio and Melissa Moretti's wedding!"

Sophie glanced behind her through the door. For God shake what if Anna heard him. "Nate, please!" she begged, holding her hand out for the photograph.

"You knew Anna's parents? You knew them before all of this?" he demanded, his voice sounding almost hurt which made Sophie feel sick. "What the hell is going on Sophie?"

"Nate, Rose is in the bathtub," Sophie tried, needing an excuse to escape.

Nate moved past her to the door. "Anna!" he called across the hall. "Will you please go sit with Rosalie while she takes a bath?"

"'Kay," was the only reply they got.

Sophie gave Nate a desperate look. "I know, I should have told you. But it's nothing I'm proud of-"

"Did you know Anna before this?" Nate demanded. "Did you know what her parents were doing?"

Tears sprang to Sophie's eyes. How could he accuse her of letting the abuse happen? "I knew they were smugglers but I never knew they used their children! I didn't even know Missy had another child!"

Nate gave her an incredulous look. "Missy? You called her Missy?"

Sophie was crying now as Nate kept going. "You kept this from me? You never thought to mention that you were, at one point, best friends with the people that ruined our daughter's life? The people that broke her and tormented her?"

He put his hands to his head and shook it like he couldn't believe what he had learned. "It makes sense. You wanting to talk to Melissa alone. The way you reacted at the door step. What the hell is going on Sophie? Have you known all along? Was this some sort of plan?"

Sophie was now weeping, not being able to control her tears in the least. "I didn't want you to know who I used to be. She was Helen's other pupil. And I didn't even know for sure until I saw the picture of her with Cory and Missy. I didn't know what to do, but I knew I couldn't let her turn out like her mother."

Nate just kept shaking his head at her. "So you, what? Decide to play Fairy God Mother?"

Sophie moved toward him, begging him to understand. "Missy was William's illegitimate half sister. She wanted me to kill their father, but I couldn't and when I couldn't she told William!" The story seemed pointless. "William nearly killed me! He nearly-"

"So you took in Anna as revenge?" Nate snapped back taking a daring step toward her.

Sophie cried harder. "God, no! I took in Anna because she reminded me what I used to be! Scared and broken! Apparently Melissa has a way of doing that to you. I didn't do it to hurt anyone!"

She looked away from him and took a seat on the bed. "Nate, she needed me and by some twisted fate, I found her. _We_ found her. When I realized she was Missy's I was shocked, I didn't know what to even think of it. When she told me about her mother, she thought she was a saint. A musician and someone who cared about her, who was I to tell her she was wrong? Especially when she was supposedly dead? I thought it was some universal sign."

Nate watched Sophie, his expression blank as she tried to explain. Tears running down her face, she ran her hand across her face trying to make them go away. "You think it was easy for me to look at Anna and see Missy? Melissa was a terrible human being. She killed people without blinking an eye and followed every order Helen gave her without question. I couldn't let Anna turn out like her."

"Turn out like who?"

Anna had appeared in the door away with Rose changed into her pajamas and her hair still wet. She looked up to see her mother in tears and her father shoving something in his pocket. Alarm spread across her face. "What's wrong? Did something happen to Parker or Hardison? Is Eliot okay?" she asked immediately.

"No-no. Everyone's fine," Sophie told her, wiping her face again but her voice still thick with tears.

"Then what's wrong?" Anna asked, her brow furrowed.

Sophie looked at Nate and he gave Anna a gentle look. "Just about me going out on the boat."

Sophie actually laughed at that, surprising everyone in the room. She was a bit emotional, but for her to be blubbering over Nate leaving on the boat again she found slightly comical. Don't get her wrong, she missed him terribly every time he left, but openly sobbing wasn't what she did.

"Alright," Anna said skeptically. "I'm going to go take Phantom out and go to bed. Need anything from me?"

"If you could take Rose to her room and stay there until one of us tucks her in, that would be wonderful," Sophie replied, finally ridding her voice of the shakiness.

Anna nodded and both of the girls disappeared out the door again.

Sophie looked expectantly up at Nate. He didn't look back at her, just kept his eyes out the doorway where Anna had turned off into Rosalie's room. "We're not telling Anna," he said bluntly, shocking her a bit. "She doesn't need to know."

Without another word, Nate grabbed his pillow off the bed and headed for the door. "But I'll be sleeping on the couch tonight. I need to think." The picture was thrown at her as he slammed the door shut behind him.

The pain hit her again and she let herself fall back onto the bed. What had she done? He didn't even know the whole story and he was already done with her. What would he do if he learned everything about her past?

Neither adult slept that night, both of them wide awake trying to decide what to do with their pain. Nate was not as mad as Sophie thought he was; he truly just needed to think. Would he have done the same thing? He could never know given the idea seemed to be impossible to wrap his mind around. After everything he couldn't imagine a better outcome, but he could only imagine the fury of Anna if she was ever to find out.

He felt bad, leaving Sophie alone to lay in her pain while he drowned his own with whiskey. After maybe a few too many, he walked back upstairs to his bedroom, to find Sophie curled into fetal position in their bed. The picture ripped to pieces on the nightstand, a puzzle that would be nearly impossible to put back together. Her body was still shaking with tears as she ignored his presence.

He ignored hers as well, pretending that his back was the reason he had come back to their bed and not because he wanted to tell her that things were going to be okay. She had managed to give them all a new beginning through her secret.

What a secret to keep. He nearly wondered how she managed to keep it quiet for so long. His life seemed irrelevant without everything he had now and it was all because of her decision to take in Anna.

Slowly he reached out for her and entwined his fingers with hers that rested on her stomach. He spooned against her, putting his face in her hair and inhaling the smell of her skin. "I love you," he whispered to her. _I still love you. It wasn't a mistake._

"I love you," she replied tearfully, still not able to face him. _I'm sorry. But I felt like I was doing the right thing. Please, understand._

Now they shared a secret. A secret from their daughters that they may never know.

_**Not this was something I had planned for a while, I just wasn't sure how I was going to do it. In fact I have a whole history written for Sophie now that may come in and out later in the story. What do you guys think of the connection? Please review. **_


	78. Envy of Parenthood

_**Next chapter will be the birthday! Comment if you have an idea, because honestly I'm not 100% for sure what the family is going to do. **_

*Anna*

I wasn't stupid. I could see the tension built up between Nate and Sophie like it was a pink elephant in the room. There were times where I would start to address it but they would look at me like I was imagining things.

Sophie had returned to, almost, normal. She came back around and started speaking to me like she used to. She didn't snap at me anymore and she went back to her huggy, maternal self. I didn't want to question it, mostly because I missed it so much. Just like I didn't question why they hadn't gone to bed together in the last week like the normally did, or why I would go downstairs and find one of them sleeping on the couch. They were always back in their bedroom together by the time morning came along, but it scared me.

It was the day before my birthday and in two days Nate was leaving for a longer trip on his boat. I wondered if he was leaving for a longer period was because of what was going on between him and Sophie.

"You two aren't going to break up, are you?" I deadpanned as we sat down for breakfast. Rose wasn't willing to wake up and was being carried with her head on Nate's shoulder.

The both looked at me surprised. For a moment I was thankful, the thought hadn't even crossed their minds.

"Of course not, dear," Sophie told me, the concern evident in her eyes.

"You've just been… weird toward each other," I muttered tossing a grape into my mouth and dropping some of my eggs on the floor for Phantom.

"We're just dealing with some stuff, that's all," Nate assured me, sending a glance at Sophie.

I didn't press any harder. They wouldn't lie to me about something like that. Instead I cleared my plate and spun around to look at the two of them. "So…" I said carefully, not sure how to begin the conversation turn. "What are we doing tomorrow?"

Both Sophie and Nate looked at me with blank expressions and my heart fell. "Nevermind…" I said quickly, realizing that they had no idea what I was talking about. With Sophie's kidnap and the stress in the house, it didn't surprise me too much. In fact it didn't even hurt me too much.

They suddenly started laughing and Sophie squeezed my shoulders. "We're just kidding, love. We've got everything planned out tomorrow, just trust me," Sophie told me, leaning down and kissing my cheek.

I wanted to snap at them and tell them that they wouldn't have been the first parents to forget my birthday, but I felt it was an unkind blow. The very last thing I wanted to do was make them feel guilty. They were good parents, _great _parents.

"Maggie's coming in around noon. Want to come with me to get her from the airport?" Nate asked me as Rose grumbled crankily.

I smirked at him, wondering if Maggie has told Nate about Sterling and her little outings yet. "It's alright. I wanna go grocery shopping with Mom."

Sophie looked surprised, but didn't argue. "I'll be heading out within the hour so why don't you get ready for the day and we'll get you a new outfit for tomorrow?"

My smile was impossible to hide I gave her a hug and then Nate. "You know," I said, my eyes dancing in mischief, "you guys are pretty okay."

Matching my mischievous expression, Sophie looked me square in the eye. "Pretty okay? I guess we could have done without that present we got her. It not the kind of present _pretty okay_ parents give their kid."

Nate shrugged. "Well, we can always wait until Rosalie's a teenager and give it to her."

I sucker punched him in the arm. "You're the best parents in the world… can I have my present now?" I asked jumping up and down.

They both laughed at me. "Tomorrow. Tomorrow is your birthday."

Giving a dramatic sigh, I snapped my fingers for Phantom. "Fine. I'm going to go get ready!"

*TEAM*

Nate and Sophie watched as Anna and Phantom disappeared up the steps to call the others about tomorrow's plans. "That girl is a mess," Nate muttered fondly, shaking his head as Sophie chuckled in agreement. Slowly Rose was beginning to wake up and stretch. She looked at Nate as she woke up, only to let herself relax back onto her shoulder.

"Oh no, ma'am," Sophie said gently, running her finger down Rosalie's nose. "It's time you wake up."

Rose shook her head defiantly and buried her face in Nate's neck. Nate tickled her sides gently and watched as she squirmed and whined crankily. "I tired," Rosalie complained dramatically.

Nate sat Rose in one of the chairs and held her up. Her head was bobbing foreword with sleep and her big brown eyes were dropping. She looked tired. "Why are you so tired?" Nate asked.

"Phantom and I played with my animals last night," she replied, rubbing her small fist against her eye.

"You played with Phantom last night?" Nate repeated, more than a little surprised.

There was no telling how late Rose was up then, and normally even Rose wasn't this hard to wake up in the morning (Anna was another story completely). Nate did notice how her bedroom was a mess with her stuffed animals scattered across her floor, but he chucked it off to her being two. Tonight he was either putting the dog in Anna's room or one of the guest rooms.

Nate looked at Sophie as she checked the refrigerator. "We are out of Rose's juice. I'll have to run to the market across town for that. Of course we get the picky kid that loves organic peach juice," she muttered, turning around and writing it on the grocery list.

"Think we should let her sleep, or wake her?" Nate asked referring to the cranky toddler.

Sophie didn't even look up at him as she continued to write down her grocery list, another thing that she used to never have to do before she was a mother. "Just let her sleep. I'd rather her sleep than be cranky when Maggie gets here. Plus the others won't let her sleep later, you know that."

Nate nodded carried her into the living room and placed her on the couch. He moved back into the kitchen and moved behind Sophie, putting his hands on her hips. His lips kissed her neck and he smiled when she instinctually moved against him. Other than that she didn't acknowledge him, just kept checking the cabinets and writing down what she needed to get from the store.

She was passively fighting him as his hands slipped underneath her blouse and rested on her warm stomach. "Yes?"

"Sophie," he whispered in her ear. "Anna has noticed something was wrong. Why don't we try and fix this?"

"You're the one that won't forgive me," she muttered, shoving him back. She wanted him to stop touching her and he crossed his arms instead, leaning against the cabinets as she just continued her work.

That was a lie. He understood. He forgave her. "No, you need to forgive me. You're still mad at how I reacted, but have to tell me, how would you have reacted?"

Sophie didn't answer, just looked at him. Her brown eyes were still sad and angry, but at least Anna wasn't taking the brunt of it anymore. Her bottom lip trembled and Nate saw it.

"Sophie…" he said gently, placing his hands back on her hips and pulling her toward him. He hated the pained expression on her face and he wanted to make her understand and feel better. "You did the right thing. Anna would have never trusted you if she knew you knew her parents. She would have never believed you if you told her the truth about her mother and hated you if you didn't and she came back and hurt you. You loved Anna the way her parents should have, you did the right thing and I know it."

Sophie tried to get away from him, but he just held her tighter. "Sophie, listen to me," he begged. "I _love_ you. I trust your judgment."

Sophie but her lip as she rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug. Tears silently slid down her cheeks. Nate, the drunk bastard her could be was nothing compared to the amazing father and supportive lover that he was around her and the girls.

He cupped her face with his hands and kissed her tenderly. "Now, it's Anna judgment that I don't exactly trust," he replied lightly.

Sophie laughed at him, grateful for the joke. "Yes. We need to keep our eye on that. Ugh, and to think that we're going to have to go through it again in a decade…"

They both glanced to the sleeping toddler. Sophie bit her lip as her mind attempted to go into greater detail in ten years. "Are we too old for this?"

The question surprised him, but he shook his head. "No. Not at all, I think I can do this again in ten years."

A laugh broke through her lips as Sophie slipped her hands into his and squeezed it. "Good, you say that as though we have a choice."

Nate almost told her that he meant he wouldn't mind an additional kid, but maybe he'd save that part for another time. Instead, he kissed her passionately and held her close. Life would be so much different without those two girls. He just wished he had Sam to add into the equation. His life was complicated, but comfortable. There was absolutely no one else in the world he would have rather shared it with than Sophie Devereaux.

*Anna*

I hadn't spoken to Maggie in what felt like ages. Our weekly conversations had been put on hold, mostly because I was worried about Sophie and I didn't want it to reflect in my voice. Maggie was fiercely protective of me and I was sometimes worried that she didn't think Sophie was doing the right thing by raising me as a thief. Of course that was just my imagination, the fear still felt real.

When she walked through the door, Sophie and I were still putting the groceries away. She dropped her bags at the door and came directly into the kitchen. "Domestic suits you, Sophie," Maggie teased lightly, making Sophie grin at her.

I raced toward her and threw my arms around her. She laughed at me as she pulled me back to examine me like she always did. "You look… different," Maggie said looking a little confused. "Like something's changed."

My face didn't hide my confusion as I glanced back at Sophie who nodded. "I've seen it too. She's growing up," she replied fondly.

"Alright, quit talking about me like I'm not here," I told them lightly as I moved back across the kitchen to sit on the counter. Nate had made it through the door with Rosalie, who took off running toward Sophie the moment her feet hit the floor.

"Momma! Momma! Daddy said that we get sketti for dinner!" Rose cheered as Sophie scooped her into her arms. I don't think I had seen Rose awake all day, which was probably why she was more anxious than usual to get to our mother. Then she turned to me. "Did ya hear Nana?"

I beamed at my little sister and nodded. "Sketti. Yum."

I could feel Maggie watching us closely as Nate came in and gave Sophie a soft peck on the cheek. There was a hint of envy, but I don't think it was the fact that Nate had kissed Sophie either. It was sometimes hard to remember that Maggie had lost her family just by losing Sam. When she lost Sam she also lost her husband and just like that her family was done.

Maggie took a deep breath and shifted awkwardly. "Want me to help you with your bags?" I offered hopping of the counter and moving toward the living room.

We moved the bags up to one of the guest bedrooms, Maggie taking in all the features of the house. She looked sad as I placed her bags next to her bag and stopped to study her face. It bothered me to see the sadness behind her features.

"You okay?" I asked her softly.

She forced a smile. "Yeah, of course." When I didn't buy it, she let it fall. "Can I tell you something, Anna?"

I nodded slowly, studying her facial expression fall into an even deeper sadness. "I thought I would be the one to restart my life. I thought it would be me who was given another chance to have a family and now I'm watching Nate live the life that I wanted and-" Maggie's face was turning red and her eyes were tearing. My hands covered hers in a way that Sophie often did to me. "I hate myself for feeling so jealous."

Gently reaching up, I brushed away Maggie's tears. She gave a sad laugh. "I shouldn't be telling you all this. I'm the adult."

My eyes met hers and I shrugged. "But you knew I would understand. Because I hate myself for feeling jealous of Rosalie. I'm glad she'll never have to worry about coming home and worrying about whether or not Daddy is going to hit her, but I wish I had that before. I wish this was all I knew too." Maggie wiped her face and I cuddled into her like I did to Sophie when either of us was sad. "It's not wrong to want something."

"Anna, Anna, Anna. When did you become so wise?" Maggie asked squeezing me tight.

*TEAM*

Sophie sat on the couch with Rosalie sleeping against her side while Nate played a game of chess with Anna. She was getting really good and you could tell by the crease at Nate's brow that she may have won this round.

Finally, he kicked over his king in defeat making Anna jump out of her chair, both fists in the air. "Woohoo!" she cheered earning a gentle shush from Sophie as she nodded at Rose.

"I beat him, Mom!" she said softer, but not without enthusiasm.

Nate was taking his defeat somewhat graciously, but he couldn't hide his irritation completely. Losing to your daughter the night before her seventeenth birthday had to be a sign. She was growing up.

Maggie on the other hand was caught up on the fact Anna had called Sophie Mom and even Nate Dad several times tonight. In fact she had not referred to them as their first names since she arrived.

Nate stood up and collected the game pieces earning him a surprised look from Anna. "You're not going to try and reclaim your title, Dad?"

Maggie was even more surprised by the smile that he gave her followed by a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You can keep it for now. Consider it part of your birthday present. Now bed," he told her kissing her again. "You have a big day tomorrow."

Though the girl looked like she disagreed, she didn't fight with him. "Goodnight," she told him returning the peck on his cheek and then moving to her mother and giving her a hug and a kiss. "Night, Mom."

"Sleep well, darling," Sophie replied.

Maggie's heart twinge again as Anna moved to her and repeated the routine for a third time. She started heading up the stairs when Nate snapped at the dog. "You," Nate addressed the dog sternly. "Go to bed with Anna. No playing with Rosalie tonight."

The large dog at could probably take down anyone in the room but acted like a teddy bear as she stretched and obeyed Nate, trotting up the steps after the smaller master.

"I'm going up to bed, dear. Want me put Rose to bed?" Nate offered yawning as he slid his favorite chess set into its place on the fireplace.

Sophie shook her head and ran her fingers through the brown curls. "I'll put her to bed when I go. Maggie and I have some catching up to do," she replied pulling her toddler closer to her and loving the feeling of the girl hug her neck tightly before relaxing and exhaling a soft coo.

Nate nodded and gave her a chaste kiss before heading up the stairs to their bedroom.

Maggie waited to hear the door close behind Nate before squinting her eyes at Sophie who was already watching her. "When did she start calling you Mom and Dad?"

The question should have made Sophie feel defensive, but it did. Maggie immediately regretted her harsh tone and regretted her words. "I'm sorry. I-"

"No, it's alright. Anna's been saying it since Rose has," she replied slowly, keeping the bite out of her voice. Sophie then put her hand over Rose's back and looked Maggie in the eye. "You're afraid that something is going to happen to us and she'll go through the pain of losing a parent again, aren't you?"

Maggie tried not to give herself away but then Sophie looked even more hurt. "You think that you could have done a better job…"

Sophie tried not to take it personally. Maggie was just envious. She cared a great deal about Anna and had seen what the life they had given her had done. Still, Sophie honestly thought that they made the right decision. Anna should have been living the life she is living now. Maybe Rose will be different. Maybe they won't repeat history with her, but Sophie was beginning to wonder if Maggie even thought about that.

"I was a mother once," Maggie said softly and apologetically. "Anna's just so… different. I honestly think you're doing a brilliant job. I just…" Suddenly her expression changed. "She's been injured and in dangerous situations, you all have. Do you honestly think she can be okay with that?"

Sophie stood up and pulled Rosalie tighter into her arms. "Maggie, I consider you my friend. A very good friend. So I am going to go upstairs and put my daughter to bed, check on my other daughter, then go back to the bedroom that I share with their father. Please, don't ever look at me like I am a bad mother or insinuate that I put my daughter in harm."

Sophie moved toward the steps. "Goodnight, Maggie. I'm glad you came to for Anna's birthday."

Maggie sat there shocked and she could decide if she was shocked that Sophie accused her of such things or that she was right. She silently resented Sophie, but she was not proud of it in the least. Sophie was living the life she used to have, the life that she wanted. Sophie wasn't the type of woman that would have wanted this life, so why did she have it and Maggie didn't.

Jealousy was an ugly thing, but Anna was right, she could help but feel how she felt.

_**Please review! **_


	79. Happy Birthday!

_**I did not expect this chapter to be this long… I guess that shows how much more you can write when you become comfortable with your characters. Anyway. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNA!**_

*Anna*

Something hard and boney landed on abdomen, unpleasantly pulling me from my sleep. My eyes fluttered open to see Parker sitting on my stomach, shifting her weight to be sure I couldn't suck in a fair breath. Everyone knew not to wake me up forcibly, mornings were not my thing. It was just easier to call to me once and I'd wake up within the next ten minutes. Yanking me out of bed was not a very effective plan. "Get off me," I snapped trying to push her off and pulling a blanket over my face.

"No!" she replied bouncing on my chest and sending the air out of my lungs. "It's ten o'clock, everyone's left and they told me to come get you! It's your birthday!"

I glared at her through the sheet and tried to push her off. "Then let me sleep in!"

Parker just kept bouncing. "What do you think ten o'clock is? _Sleeping in_!" She leaped off of my and snatched my blankets up, tossing them onto the floor. I groaned. Seriously? Just let me sleep.

Suddenly my mattress was tilted to one side and I slid off my sheets onto the hardwood floor. I bit my lip as I tried to shove my crankiness away. "Where's Mom and Dad?" I snapped, picking myself off the floor without the help of Parker. When people wake me up, it was safe to say I was homicidal.

"They're getting everything ready and are waiting on you!" she exclaimed pulling me to my feet and shoving a bag in my hands. Her nails dug into my arm as she threw me into my bathroom. "Get ready! You have fifteen minutes before I come in there and drag you out looking however."

I jumped in the shower and humored her before reappearing fourteen and a half minutes later in the jeans with light white button up and navy tank underneath it. Parker jumped behind me and blind folded me and tied my hands.

"What the hell are you doing?" I snapped, but wasn't about to fight her again this morning, I was pretty sure I already bruised my elbow doing that once.

"Sophie said make it a surprise!"

The next thing I know I was haphazardly being dragged down the steps and thrown into the trunk of a car. I hit a cardboard box and groaned. "You didn't have to throw me in the trunk!" I snapped irritably, kicking the top of the trunk with both my feet. Seriously? "Happy freakin' birthday, Anna! Happy birthday to me!"

The car took off and my body slid across the trunk into tarp side. I had been kidnapped before and yet this was the first time I had seen the inside of truck that was closed. Instead of fighting, I just shut up and enjoyed the ride, in fact I nearly fell asleep until I felt my face slam into the wrong side of the backseat.

"Where's Anna?"

I slammed my feet against the top of the trunk. Thank God! A voice from the outside that was sane. "Eliot! Get me out of this damn trunk!"

"You threw her in the trunk?" The familiar British accent sounded horrified. "Why?"

"Mom!" I called kicking the trunk again. "For the love of-"

"You told me to make it a surprise," Parker explained as though it was the obvious answer.

Rolling my eyes (even under the blindfold) I called to them again. "Still in the trunk!"

"Parker, pop the damn trunk," Eliot demanded.

I hear the click of the lock and trunk came open. "You didn't even let her put shoes on? Parker, you are not allowed to do the surprise part ever again," Eliot grumbled as I felt him sit me up and toss me over his shoulder.

"I brought them! They're in the box."

My socked feet were getting shoved into some sort of boots. Parker was really now having any luck with her empathy or sympathy ideas. "Parker, untie my hands, I'll put my boots on," I tried calmly but I was a little past irritated.

My hands were untied and pushed Parker's hands away shoving my feet into the boots. "Cowboy boots?" I asked feeling rough leather and unique design.

"See why I tied her hands? She has blind ninja skills!"

"Parker…"

Hands pulled me up and I felt someone's hands go over my ears. Apparently it was hard to surprise someone that used all their senses. I could however smell hay and straw. Horses. We were near horses. It wasn't fair to kill all their fun though. "Not going to plug my nose? Don't do it, Parker…"

The squeak of a barn door made it through the muffle of hands along with the excited squeal from Rosalie. The ground went from the squish of mud and grass to the crunch of straw. The pressure on my ears was removed as someone untied my blindfold.

Rubbing my face I opened my eyes to see everyone standing around me, beaming at me expectantly. The sound of horses made me spin around to see a large bay horse tossing its mane. Immediately, I moved past Maggie and ran my hand down the horse's nose. It was extremely tame, gentle even. Though it was relatively young.

"We're riding horses today?" I asked, glancing back and beaming at Nate who had one arm around Sophie while she held Rose. Hardison was obviously feeling out of place, not liking the outdoors and Parker was trying to be calm around horses, it was no secret she was not a fan.

"Actually, welcome to your little piece of home," Nate told me, coming up beside me and placing his hand on the horses nose. "You can ride any horse anytime. It's ours."

I blinked at him. Eliot took a step up. "Consider yourself the most spoiled kid in Oregon," Eliot teased. "A friend of mine is running the ranch. Just consider Nate city boy owner who owns the horses."

"Except for…" Nate guided me down a few stalls and pointed to two colts. One was a beautiful bay horse and the other was completely black. "Except for these two. These two are yours."

I just kept staring at the horses and watched as they played. They weren't in the stall for long, just enough to be introduced to their new owners. Reaching up, I unlocked the stalls and took a step inside. They were already fairly large, the black one larger than the bay.

Looking up at Sophie I took Rosalie from her and kneeled with her in the hay. She seemed a little leery of the colts as the danced around us. "What are their names?" I asked him as I took Rosalie's hand and guided it down the bay's mane.

"Well," Sophie joined us in the hay, and I finally noticed she was actually wearing cowboy boots too. "We thought that could be your job."

Not taking my eyes off the horse, I squeezed Rosalie tighter. "You name that one," I told her, pointing at the bay horse.

Setting Rosalie on her feet, she walked over to the horse that was already much larger than her. Both Sophie and I were on high alert as she touched the colt, ready to pull her back if needed. But the colt didn't see her as a threat or as a play mate.

"Can we call it Brownie?" she asked, looked back at Sophie and me anxiously.

Sophie was about to answer, but then she looked at me. "Course we can," I told her opening my arms to her and letting her tackle me. "And you see this beautiful black one? We can call her… Portia."

Eliot smirked at me. "Like the car?"

I shook my head and rolled my eyes. "Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare. Brutus's wife."

Sophie raised her eyebrow at me. "You really have a thing for Shakespeare don't you?" she teased as I reached out and touched the beautiful colt.

I stuck my tongue out at her, and she helped me to my feet. "Well, what do you say we go for a trail ride, while Hardison and Parker set up lunch?" I locked the stall behind us. I nodded furiously as Parker and Hardison exited the barn.

Maggie followed them out, not even saying a word to me, and I wasn't sure why. She was not in a very good mood. Eliot handed me a saddle. "Think you remember how to do this?" he joked as we each chose our horse.

I could have sworn I heard someone laugh as I chose the wildest one in the barn. My horse skills were something I always had a little too much faith in. "I think I can manage," I replied teasingly.

*Team*

There was a glow on Anna's face as she saddled up the large paint horse. It made Nate nervous for her to choose the one that was already unwilling to be touched, much less ridden. Still, she was not afraid in the least, calmly reaching out and bringing the horse down. It was obvious that this was almost like her music. This was a place she had complete control and knew her abilities.

When she was finally able to saddle the horse and guided it out of the barn. Sophie held Rosalie in front of her as they watched Anna warm up the horse. It was just a trot at first that turned into a gallop and finally into a full out sprint. She looked like a natural. Her knees bent, her elbows tucked under, looking as though the horse moved, but her body stayed perfectly positioned.

"Wow," Sophie gasped as the horse came to the lowest jump and you could almost see Anna prepared herself for the worst as the horse went into the air. The landing was perfect and Eliot shook his head. She would take a horse out jumping on the first time out.

"Can we do that, Momma?" Rose asked watching her sister in awe.

Nate gave a humorless laugh. "Not until you are a bit older," Nate answered for her.

Rose was too busy watching her sister as she took another jump. Mud splashed up and covered a large portion of her jeans and boots. Finally she came around and pulled her horse up next to the others. "Trail?" she asked, her eyes twinkling. She hadn't had so much fun in… well… she couldn't think of a time.

Sophie handed Rose off to Nate and grinned at Anna. "How about race? You, me, and Eliot? Losers have to…"

"Eat a piece of cake with their hands behind their back!" Anna supplied for her, grinning madly. She was having way too much fun.

Nate watched as Sophie laughed and nodded in agreement. "You in, Eliot?"

He shrugged. Nate was wondering what Sophie was thinking. Eliot and Anna were both raised around horses. Hell, Anna looked like she belonged in competitions or maybe rodeos with her riding skills. Still, it would be interesting to see Sophie face first in a piece of birthday cake. Nate set the rules. First one around the tree and back is the winner. It was a little over a two hundred yard dash, but he was really excited to see what would come of it.

Anna's body was positioned with poise and grace. It was a riders style that you could tell she had at least some sort of training. Eliot sat like a classic cowboy, his hat pulled down a little more to keep the sun out of his eyes. Sophie was grinning to herself as she wrapped her hands up in the reins and waited.

"Ready…" There were curt nods from everyone. "Go!"

The sound of the mud smashing against the hooves of the horses roared as they took off. Eliot fell behind quickly, Anna taking the lead, snapping the reins and burying her knees into the horse's ribs. As they rounded the tree Sophie closed in behind her, calling out to her horse as she kicked her heels. Nate smiled as Sophie got up side by side to Anna. Anna's brown curls that were tied out of her face bounced as Sophie's straightened dark locks whipped behind her. They both were bent over, calling out to their horses to go fast.

Sophie took the lead just in time, Anna came in right behind her followed by Eliot. Their horses came to a stop and Anna hopped off and held the reins as she headed toward her mother. "Where'd you learn to ride like that?" she asked as Sophie dismounted and patted the horse's nose.

"There are many things about me you don't know," Sophie replied lightly. Eliot grunted as Anna took her defeat graciously.

"I get to ride too?" Rose asked as Nate handed her down to Sophie. Both of the parents exchanged torn looks before Anna got back on the horse.

"I'll take her, just for a short trot," she offered, reaching out for her sister. When Nate hesitated, Anna gave him a big smile. "I promise I'll take it slow. I know what I'm doing."

"Okay, but please be careful," Nate told her as Anna set Rose down in front of her and crossed her arm to hold her there.

They all watched as Anna trotted off with her sister.

"She really cares about Rosalie. She's a pretty good big sister," Eliot commented as some of the workers took their horses and they started walking back to pond where they were having the picnic.

"I bet Rose would be too," Sophie muttered. Eliot didn't catch it, and Sophie's face burned red when Nate raised an eyebrow at her. For a moment he wondered what was running through her pretty little mind. He reached for her hand and together they walked.

The three of them watched Anna as she kept the horse at a steady pace. As Sophie came up to the picnic table Maggie gave her an odd look. "You let Anna take Rose on a horse? Is that safe?" She didn't bother hiding the accusatory tone or the condescending look. She was fishing for a fight and Sophie wasn't going to give it to her.

Eliot watched Sophie's calm disposition turn nearly hostile as she glared at Maggie. "I trust Anna," she hissed back giving Nate's hand an extra squeeze.

There was something going on between the two women and whatever it was it made Sophie. Eliot nudged Hardison and nodded at Maggie. "What's up with her?"

Parker shoved her hands in her pockets and shrugged as Hardison shook his head. "She's not herself. She's been going on about how Anna should be looking at colleges."

"She kept saying that Anna was talented and disserved to live up to her talents," Parker added as she glanced over at Nate and Sophie. He put his arms around her and kissed the side of her head like it was the most normal thing in the world. They were no longer leading separate lives. They were now forever attached by the two girls that called them Mom and Dad.

Parker saw Maggie intently watching Anna and Rose as though they were standing on the edge of a cliff. "The anniversary of Sam's death is tomorrow," she announced plainly.

Everyone turned and looked at her. It was. They had nearly forgotten with it being Anna's birthday. That's why Nate was going on the boat tomorrow. Nate used the bottle to cope, maybe Maggie coped by trying to be sure nothing happened to the only kids in her life. Either way, Sophie was not liking it.

As Anna came around on the horse, she offered Rose to Parker. "I'm going to put the horse up. I'll be right back," she called to her family as she hopped off the horse and guided it back to the barn.

Parker and Eliot both exchanged knowing looks as she walked into the large barn. Happy birthday, Anna.

*Anna*

I hung the saddle on the wall as I locked the stall again and a worker came up and took over. The others had been taken out to the fields and I just lazily drug my feet, petting the horses as I went.

"A girl asks for a pony and her dad buys her a ranch. At least I was brought in to make it practical." I spun around to see Quinn leaning against a post chewing on a toothpick.

A huge smile spread across my face as I bolted across the barn and jumped into his arms. He laughed as he spun me around and I kissed his lips.

"Happy birthday," he said lightly as my feet hit the ground. We didn't separate though. I was on my toes as I kept my arms wrapped around his neck.

"What are you doing here? Is it safe for you to be here?" I asked glancing around at some of the other workers who were looking at us curiously.

Quinn grabbed my hand and pulled me toward one of the empty stalls. "Probably not, especially not here with you," he told me as our lips met again. There was a certain physical chemistry in the air as we both realized we were completely alone. I kissed him again, not wanting to let him go.

"Then why?"

"Eliot's helping me lay low, but Anna-" He pushed me back and stopped the reunion. "We can't do this."

I blinked at him, my smile fading. "Do what?"

His hands were on my sides, silently driving me insane. "Anna, the deal with Eliot was that we don't… continue… this thing. We can't… we can't do this… right now."

I let my lip pout at him. "What Eliot doesn't know-"

"There's very little Eliot doesn't know, An," he reminded me pointedly. I glared at him and took a step back. "We crossed a line."

"I cross lines, it's my thing," I replied suddenly feeling a little more hurt than I would like to admit.

"Anna, listen to me," he told me, pushing my hair away from my face and keeping his hands there. "I don't want to walk away, but if we cross the line again Eliot stops helping me. He pulls the string and I'm gone again. And do not be mad at Eliot!" He looked me square in the eye. "When you're eighteen, one year, we can make this better. Eighteen. Can you wait that long?"

I understood, but I didn't want to admit it. Still, I had to stop fighting everything. I had to start accepting that I was the kid and they were the adults. Eliot was offering me a hand, but at the same time he was putting up a fence.

"One year," I repeated harshly. I took a step closer to him and glared up at him as my hands rested on his chest. "One year," I said again, going up on my toes and getting insanely close to his lips. "I have one year to do whatever I want with whoever I want and that goes the same for you. One-" I tilted my head like I was ready to kiss him, "year."

I could feel his heartbeat on my palms that were pressed against us. He was staring at me as I smirked up at him. If he wanted a year, I was going to make it an extremely hard year on him. "One for the road?" I offered, raising my eyebrow.

He leaned in and captured my lips one last time. It started out slow but then I felt him push me into the wooden wall of the stall and his hips press into mine. I couldn't help but smirk into his kiss as I knew I was winning. My fingers popped open the buttons of his flannel shirt and I pushed it off of his shoulder and ran my hands over his bare biceps and let my body lean against the white wife beater shirt.

His hands went underneath my shirt and onto the hot skin of my torso. Finally, I pushed him away and undid my hair with a certain amount of power I was proud of. "One year," I reminded him, taking a step back and walking toward the door.

*TEAM*

If there is a look you learn to hate on your teenage daughter's face, it's the look that she was wearing as she walked out of that barn. Her cheeks were flushed and she was biting her lower lip as she grinned with pleasure. Sophie knew that look.

Immediately she glanced over at Eliot, but she didn't say anything. She knew Quinn was back.

They ate between giggles and Anna seemed completely enthralled with her family. Her head was on her mother's shoulder as they all laughed heartily. When it was time to eat cake, she and Eliot took their defeat like champs. Both of their faces were covered in chocolate icing. Of course Rose had to follow what her sister was doing.

Nate was covered in chocolate icing as he tried to clean off Rose and he took it great. "Present time!" Parker said suddenly grabbing a box wrapped in lime green paper and shoving it into her hands.

Eliot rolled his eyes. "That's from me," he grumbled.

Anna pulled the box into her lap and tried her best to remember her manners as she unwrapped the present. She didn't want to tear into it like a child, but her excitement was getting to her. Finally giving up and ripping the paper to shreds, she opens a large box stuffed with tissue paper.

Carefully she pulled up a black gun with an orange tip at the end of the barrel. "It's an-"

"Air Soft gun," he finished for her. "I already put some pellets in it. I figured it could be fun for you and I to play around the house."

Anna held up the gun and stared down the barrel. "Do they-" she squeezed the trigger and they all watched as Hardison grabbed his kneed and yelped dramatically before rolling on his back and letting his eye bulge. "Hurt?"

"Ow! Damn! Ow! Seriously? Ya shoot me?" Hardison complained as the rest of them laughed.

Slowly she put the gun back down into the box, making sure the safety was on this time. She the picked up the other present he gave her. Picking them up, even Sophie moved back and looked at Eliot like he was crazy for giving Anna such a gift.

"Nunchucks?" she said excitedly, holding the weapon in her hand like it was the coolest thing she had ever seen.

She skillfully started spinning them, making everyone take a step back. Nate had pulled Rose behind him and gave Eliot a nervous look. They watched as Anna managed to control the weapon surprisingly well… until it caught her other elbow and sent a surprising rush of pain through it. "Grr," she growled rubbing her elbow. "Freaking funny bone."

Eliot laughed at her and pulled the weapon away from her. "How about you wait until I actually teach you how to use that?"

Grudgingly she nodded and coughed up the nunchucks to Eliot. Another box was shoved into her hands as everyone slowly moved back to their original places. "From… Hardison," she read on the top of the box.

"And don't think I ain't tempted to take it back since you shot me in the knee!" he snapped, still rubbing his kneecap.

Rosalie was now leaning as close as possible as Anna ripped apart the cartoon wrapping paper and revealed a laptop. She immediately looked at Hardison waiting for him to ramble off the details.

"Everything you could ever want is on this. Every game you play, controller set up, lifetime memberships to all gaming websites, and you can even record and edit your music!" He grinned at her. "Go ahead. Say I'm the best bro in the world."

Anna only laughed. They all knew full and well that Anna did not pick favorites in the family. "This is awesome! Thank you so much, Hardison!" She went over and gave him a tight hug.

Parker jumped up. "Mine next! Open mine! Here!"

Three boxes were shoved into Anna's hands. She wasted no time ripping the paper off of the first one reveal a whole new set of lock picks, the second one was a new harness designed (and tested) by Parker and the third was…

Anna's face turned red and she suddenly began giggling like a fool as she shoved the lid back on the box and looked across the grass to Parker who was also laughing. The rest of the family just stared between them as there giggles turned into hysterics.

"Well?" Maggie asked, raising her eye brow at the two of them. "What did you get?"

Anna just shook her head as the laughter brought tears to her eyes and she tried to wipe them away. She held her hand over her mouth as Sophie glanced at both girls suspiciously. "Something tell me it's wildly inappropriate."

Hardison was tired of the little game and reached out and pulled the box toward him before she could stop him. He opened the box and shut it again. "Ya'll are nasty," he grumbled not finding it nearly as funny.

This only made the girls giggle more.

"Okay, I'm going to go with, I don't want to know," Nate finally decided.

Maggie pulled out a small box with a bow on it and passed it over to Anna. "It nothing too exciting but…"

Anna forced her giggles to stop and gave Maggie one of her pageant winning smiles. Removing the bow, she lifted the top of the box open to reveal a key. "I know you don't actually need one with your… skills… but I just wanted to let you know that you're always welcome in my home."

Sophie had to forcibly keep herself from glaring at Maggie, instead keeping her attention focused on Anna's smile. "Thank you, Maggie. I love it." She stood and gave Maggie a big hug.

"There's also a lot of music academies in LA, if you're ever interested of tour them or attending them-" Sophie turned frigid as her eyes bore into Maggie. Still, the blonde ignored her. "-I'd be happy to take you."

Anna politely shook her head. "No, I don't think I'm interested in the LA music programs. If I ever decide to study music I think I'd like to go to Europe, or New York. I've never cared much for LA."

Sophie felt five, wanting to stick her tongue out at Maggie and rub her face in the fact that she had lost. Even Nate had noticed Maggie's obvious antics to pull Anna away, but he was handling it much better than Sophie.

"Now, my present to you," Nate said reaching behind him and pulling out another smaller box.

Anna looked at him confused as she gave him a small smile. "But I thought this was my present," she said motioning to the lovely ranch they were picnicking on.

Nate shrugged. "Well, to be fair. This is kind of a family present. You have to share it with everyone, as well as some tourists. You basically just have a lifetime pass. That present though. That's yours."

Anna pulled the box open and looked at the contents. Two tickets to a symphony. Box seats. Anna picked them up and held them as though they were fragile. Nate had known that she had done many things in her life, but she had never gone to a professional music performance. If she ever decided to stop what she was doing and go into music, he's like to show her what it really was.

"Consider it a father-daughter date. Your mother can help you find a dress and we'll go. But it's not until November," Nate explained.

Anna leaped at him and pulled him into a hug. "It's great, Daddy. I love it!"

Something caught in his throat as she clung to him happily. When she pulled away, she looked down at her father who was wiping away a tear he hoped that no one saw. Her face fell for half a second, but immediately went back to normal. "I love you, Daddy," she told him before giving him one last hug.

"Love you too," he replied. "Not stop growing up!"

The entire team was touched by the charming father daughter moment. Sophie held Rose a bit closer while Eliot turned slightly as though to give him more privacy. Maggie just stared at them, the pain in her eyes.

She really did feel like she lost a game she didn't know she was playing.

Finally Anna sat back on her heel and wiped her own tears. Sophie let Rose go to her father and watched as she kissed her dad on the cheek, also sensing the moment that had happened and wanting to help her father feel better.

Sophie watched as Anna sat back down took her hands in hers. "Okay, my gift for you is something that you recently gave me." Sophie explained giving Anna a small smile. Anna was obviously studying her mother's face and Sophie couldn't help but love how intuitive her daughter was. Perfect grifter. "You gave me a piece of your past, so I would like to give you a piece of mine."

Sophie reached into her purse and pulled out a vintage jewelry box. "To be honest, I really thought this was going to turn to dust in a storage unit somewhere. Never thought I'd have a daughter to pass it on to. Much less two."

She opened the silver jewelry box and revealed a ring. The stone inside it was mother of pearl. It was one of the most unique stone settings and silver band that surrounded it. Sophie picked up the ring and held up Anna's right hand.

"Now, my mother gave me this when I turned thirteen," Sophie continued smiling up at Anna as she slid the ring onto her finger. "She had dainty hands like you. My siblings and I all seemed to take after my father's side of the family, passing Mom in height when were teenagers. I was the only girl and my mom's most proud possession was this ring. I wore it every day until she died. Then, like the rest of my life, I put it away, thinking it was too painful to keep it around."

Everyone watched with shock as Sophie revealed so much, yet remained so vague about her past. "But I want you to wear it. I'll get to spend those years with Rosalie, years I didn't get with you, so it's important to me that you cherish this ring." She wiped her face with the back of her hand and put let her forehead fall against Anna's who was also crying.

"Thank you, Momma. I love it." With that, Anna went to her mother's arms. She buried her face in her mother's hair and let her hold her as long as they both needed.

There was no doubt in anyone, even Maggie, that Anna was exactly where she needed to be.

That night while everyone was thought to be in bed, even with Eliot sleeping one of the guest rooms while Parker and Hardison went to their own places that were set up in Portland, Maggie packed her bags.

She pushed her suitcase shut and zipped it, forcibly wiping her tears away as she opened the guest bedroom door and headed downstairs. As she made it to the living room, a lamp light flipped on revealing Sophie sitting on the couch with a sleeping Rose in her arms.

"Leaving so soon?" she asked softly, still rocking Rose in a calming motion. She was close to sleep but not quite there yet.

"Yeah, I figured I'd leave before I humiliated myself further," Maggie replied, exhausted. She truly was sorry for her actions and Sophie was ready to forgive her. "Why are you up at two in the morning?"

Sophie nodded to Rosalie. "Tummy ache. My guess is too much cake." Maggie nodded and stood there awkwardly. Sophie sighed and took a few steps closer to her. "Anna was not even the same kid a year ago. She was a loose cannon and so scared that if someone spooked her she fired. It occurred to me a hundred times that you could have done a better job than me. A thousand times. But then there was this moment where Anna looked at me and I saw it. I felt it. Motherhood kind of sneaks up on you."

She tried to sound light about it but she couldn't. Maggie just shrugged. "I should have never said anything. I'm just… lonely I guess." Tears were in Maggie's eyes. "Sam died five years ago tomorrow. Five. I had him for eight years and soon enough he'll been gone as long as he was here." She took a step toward Sophie and Rose, laying a hand on the child's back. "Just," she shook her head, trying to keep the tears away, "love them. Don't take a single moment for granted. One day they can just be gone…"

Sophie nodded and put a hand on Maggie's arm. "Nate's leaving in a few hours and Anna will definitely understand if you go too. She'll probably call you in the morning to check on you, if you don't care."

Maggie smile at Sophie and gave her a small hug. "You're doing a wonderful job, Sophie. These girls are amazing."

Sophie gave her friend a half smile. "I can't take all the credit," she told her lightly. "I've got an entire team and your ex-husband to thank."

Together they walked toward the door. "Don't sell yourself short. You were what Anna needed when she needed it. You're an amazing mom."

Things like that are things you sometimes just need to hear, especially from another mother.

"Thank you, Maggie."

The hugged one last time before Maggie headed for the taxi that was waiting for her outside. Her plane didn't take off for a few more hours, but she had a feeling a nice diner meal would do her some good. Sophie watched out the window as the taxi pulled off.

"Who left?" a sleepy voice asked.

Sophie turned around to see Anna standing on the steps in her pajamas rubbing her eyes that weren't quite willing to open.

"Maggie, she'll talk to you tomorrow sweetie. Go back up to bed," Sophie told Anna, putting her arm around her shoulder and walking her back up the steps.

Anna sleepily drug her feet as they made it to the top of the staircase about to go in opposite directions. But then Sophie's curiosity got the best of her. "Anna?"

"Huh?" she replied stopping and leaning against the wall for support.

"What did Parker give you?"

Sophie watched as a smile cracked from Anna's lips and she started giggling again. "Trust me, Mom, you'll be happier not knowing."

With that, her daughter turned and went back to her bedroom. It was true. There are some things that people are just happier not knowing.

_**What do you think? Should there be a few more chapters before they go back into stopping corruption? Anyway. Please review! **_


	80. Sisters

_**Hehehe. Prepare yourself. And the song they sing is this is 1985 by Bowling for Soup. **_

*TEAM*

Nate had left over a week ago and Rosalie was actually behaving extremely well, considering. Anna had spent most of her time helping around the house, every now and then taking the Escape to the ranch to ride horses.

Parker had been over a lot lately and Hardison tagged along every now and then, but he was busy with some other project. It was just too much fun.

Sophie had gone out grocery shopping and when she pulled into the garage she could already hear the stereo blaring and the girls singing at the top of their lungs.

"_One Prozac a day! Husband's a CPA!" _

As she opened the door with the grocery bag in hand she could see Anna standing on the couch with a hairbrush in her hand, singing like she was on stage. On either side of her were Parker and Rose, both dancing madly as the 90's song continued to scream from the speakers.

"_Her dreams went out the door when she turned twenty-four." _And held up her index finger shaking it as if scolding someone._ "Only been with one man! What happened to her plan?" _

She suddenly jumped off the couch, shaking her hair and her butt. Sophie had to cover her mouth as the little sister tried to mimic the older one.

"_She was gunna be an actress!" _The girl's all posed one direction._ "She was gunna be a star!"_They posed the other._ "She was gunna shake her ASS _(the word was given extra emphasis due to the fact they were normally not allowed to say it as the all began to shake their entire bodies wildly) _on the hood of Whitesnake's car! Her yellow SUV-_ " Microphone toward the ceiling_ "-is now the enemy." _Microphone toward the floor. "_ Looks at her average life and nothing-has been- ALRIGHT!"_

Parker grabbed the hair brush and Anna scooped up Rose as she reached for the broom, her new microphone and stand. _"Since Bruce Springsteen, Madonna way before Nirvana! There was U2 and Blondie and music still on MTV. Her Two kids in high school, they tell her that she's uncool! Cause she's still preoccupied with nineteen-nineteen- nineteen-eight-five!"_

Sophie was in hysterics as she watched the girls jump around, suddenly thankful they had cameras in their house now so she could go back and show Nate what the kids did when they weren't home. Anna finally turned around and saw her, but there was not an ounce of embarrassment on her cheeks. Instead, she ran to Sophie and grabbed her hand to make her join them.

The words to the song were continued to be screamed by Parker and Anna as they danced like goofballs around the living room, dragging Sophie and Rose around with them. All Sophie could do was laugh and try to keep up. Though, she was thankful the song finally came to an end and Anna hit the power button on the stereo.

As the four girls collapsed on the couch, Sophie grinned over at the top of Rosalie's head as Anna and Parker both looked exhausted from their all out dance and music session. Still, Sophie couldn't help but notice the house looked spotless, Anna's hair had been straightened, Rosalie had her mother's lipstick on and there was a harness sitting in the middle of the floor. Obviously they had run out of things to do. She even had a sneaking suspicion that the leaky faucet was even fix.

"Bored?" Sophie asked, raising an eyebrow at the other girls

Anna didn't get up, just made a dramatic shrug and let her head roll to look over at Sophie. "We've been stuck here for four hours and we thought we'd be productive. Except, well, Rose didn't get her nap."

Sophie looked down at Rose on her chest. She was nearly already asleep, her arms loosely around Sophie's neck and her breathing shallow. The little one looked up at her for just a moment before Sophie sat up and let Rose get more comfortable. She repositioned and was ready to fall asleep seconds later. Sophie smirked. Poor thing was completely exhausted. "Well, you did a good job of wearing her out," Sophie mused.

Parker got up next, roughly pulling Anna to her feet. "That was a lot better than that classical stuff you play," Parker informed her, making Anna give her a patient smile.

Times like these were when Sophie was glad Anna was not overly sensitive of anything Parker had to say. Now if Nate or Sophie said anything close to that to Anna, she would immediately take it to heart. But since it was Parker, Anna knew what she meant.

"Hardison wants me to help with security so I'm out!" Parker said raising her hand and giving Anna a hug. Once again, Sophie was amazed. Their relationship was really changing. They actually acted like mostly normal people. Which was great! Especially for Parker. "I'll see you guys later." Then she looked at Sophie. "Nate coming home next week?"

"Yup! I making dinner," Anna told her. "Wanna help?"

The image of her house burning to the ground flashed through Sophie's mind as Parker nodded with excitement. Still, how can them no? She liked the home while it lasted.

Parker finally disappeared out the door.

Sophie placed Rose on the couch and used a baby wipe to remove the red lipstick before it stained her white couch. The little girl immediately flinched away from the cold damn wipe, but eventually calmed and went right back to sleep. Sophie walked into the kitchen as Anna poured herself some juice. Anna noticed the slight skip in Sophie's step as she grinned across the counter at her, her elbows against the granite. Anna tilted her head and watched her mother closely.

"What?" Anna asked as she raised the glass or peach juice to her lips and took a swallow.

"Well…" Sophie kept the smile in her eyes as she looked at her daughter. "I bought a theatre!"

"Well, okay?" she half way asked, not seeing it nearly as exciting as Sophie.

"As in my own place to direct plays and where you can perform your music on stage!" Sophie explained urgently, not understanding why Anna was not nearly as excited. She huffed in frustration. "Why aren't you excited?"

Anna shrugged as she put down the juice. "I'm just confused. I thought we weren't staying long."

Sophie gave an exasperated sigh and took a seat on a barstool. "I said the same thing, then Nate bought a ranch, Hardison got an apartment, Parker got a warehouse and Eliot started looking for a place. Let's face it Ans. We're stuck."

This still didn't seem like news to Anna. "To be honest, I was expecting more along the lines of you're pregnant," she said, shrugging but not taking her eyes off of Sophie.

Sophie watched, her mouth open as her daughter took another drink of peach juice as though this was an everyday conversation. She closed her mouth and prepared to walk away, but then looked back at Anna, her eyes squinted. "Do _not_ tell anyone, Anna Devereaux. That goes for your father as well."

The smile was impossible to hide even though Sophie could tell Anna was trying. "I knew it," she said victoriously. Suddenly she leaped toward her mother and wrapped her arms around her.

The excitement over took the room as Anna beamed at Sophie. "I knew it!"

Sophie started to laugh. It felt good to finally tell someone, even if her original plan had been to tell Nate first and then tell the girls together. "How did you know?" she asked finally, holding her oldest daughter close still.

Anna raised her eyebrow. "No one goes grocery shopping for four hours and you've been acting different." She shrugged. "Come on, Mom, you trained me to be a grifter and you thought I couldn't see through you?"

All Sophie could do was roll her eyes and smile. "That's what I get, raising a grifter."

Anna laughed and hugged her mom again before taking a seat on the barstool and looking at her expectantly. "So! How long have you known? How far along are you?" Then the realization hit her again. "Oh my God, Mom, you're pregnant."

Sophie laughed again. She had pretty much reacted in the exact same way. It was like the news hit her once, but then it hit her again a few minutes later. "I took the test the day before your birthday, but I wasn't going to tell anyone until I went to the doctor and had everything confirmed. Which was today. I'm about eleven weeks."

Anna thought for a moment. She had too many questions. "Wait a second… was Dad even home eleven weeks ago?"

Sophie playfully hit Anna as the both laughed again, knowing she wasn't serious. "Oh come on, there are plenty of cute playground Dad's that think you're the hot mom," Anna kept going through her laughter, raising her eyebrows for extra effect. "Mister Hulshof? He thinks you're the best thing since the English Muffin."

Sophie laughed along with her. She was glad Anna was taking this so well. Of course she hoped that Nate would take the news as well, and Rosalie. She was worried most about Rose. She was new in the family and already getting used to all the attention. Not to mention she seemed to have an insecure attachment issues. Much like Anna was she panics when she wakes up and doesn't immediately find someone where they're suppose to be. Then again, maybe she'll be excited to have a new brother or sister.

"So, have you had morning sickness? When are you gunna tell Nate? Were you given a due date? Can I hug you again?" Anna just kept rambling, her excitement was so refreshing.

Sophie pulled her into a hug. She had a feeling Anna was going to be a huge help with everything. The fierce protectiveness Anna had developed may be interesting as well in this time.

"Yes to the morning sickness. Except who ever said that it was morning sickness lied. It's all the time. How have you noticed?" Sophie asked. The expression on Anna's face told her that she had, but wasn't going to say anything. "I plan on telling Nate when he gets home and that's all the information you get until then. He's the father, technically he's suppose to know before you."

All Anna could do was grin. She was ecstatic. "This is going to be fun," she replied almost as though it was a game or a con to her.

Anna had took it upon herself to pick up extra responsibilities around the house, but her attitude was extra bubbly. Maybe Anna had Rosalie's sweet and excited personality deep down, hidden underneath all the walls.

Sophie was seven weeks along. Still, she was older and that made this a high risk pregnancy. Another reason she didn't plan on telling the team right away. She didn't want to get everyone excited and something happen. Anna finding out made her hope that the others were not as perceptive. Then again, Anna spends most of the day with her mother and lived in the same house. She only saw the others a handful of times in the past weeks.

Still, she couldn't help but love the way Anna's personality had been given a new light. She changed immensely when Rose came into their life, but now she was even brighter. Perhaps personality was not nearly as much like her mother's as Sophie had once feared. Maybe there was some sort of hope in her seemingly sinister gene pool Then again, there had to be. Anyone could see that there was not a drop of evil in either of those two girls.

Sophie woke a few mornings later to the horrible nauseas feeling that woke her every morning for the past week or so. She leaped out of bed and emptied her stomach into the toilet and didn't dare to move for several minutes, maybe even half an hour, until she knew she was completely done. Reaching for the cup she now kept on the sink, she rinsed her mouth and noticed that there was a message written in dry erase marked on her mirror.

_Mom, _

_Went to the park. Noticed that you were really tired so we decided to leave you alone. We'll be back no later than one. Enjoy sleeping in!_

_Love, Anna and Rosalie_

_PS- Phantom is in the backyard, he was trying to get into your room too._

Sophie smiled as she wiped the message away with a hand towel. Yes, she had an awesome kid. She moved back into her bedroom to grab clothes for her shower and noticed the clock by the bed already said eleven-ten. Wow, she did sleep in. Yet, she still felt exhausted.

One of those things she had a feeling she'd have to get used to. Along with decaffeinated tea and no wine with her meal. _Cheers to being pregnant, _she thought. But then again, she couldn't quit smiling.

*Anna*

I sat down on a vacant bench and opened my worn hardback edition of _To Kill a Mockingbird_. Rose was happily catching up with her playground friends and heading off toward the jungle gym. There was suddenly a person standing above me.

Looking up from my book I see a girl that's about my age smiling. "Can I join you?" she asked pleasantly. She had long dirty blonde hair that came just past her shoulders and stood maybe an inch taller than me. I nodded and she took a seat.

"Babysitting?" I asked her, marking my place in the book and laying it on my lap.

"Yup. Niece and nephew," she pointed to the fraternal twins that were going down the slide together. "You?"

I nodded at Rosalie who came down right behind them. "Sister."

The girl gave me a surprised look. "Who was the accident, you or her?" she said lightly. Most people would have probably taken offense to her suggestion, but I laughed.

"Trust me, our story is way too long for a trip to the park. But… I guess probably me." I studied the girl for a moment before deciding that I liked her. "I'm Anna, by the way. Anna Ford," I told her offering her my hand in a way that most teenagers don't.

The girl gave me a pleasant look, but didn't hide her questioning look about my extended hand, still she took it. "Parents raised you with manners, that's refreshing. I'm Libby. Libby Howe."

She was blunt, but in the kind of way that made you like her. She wasn't afraid of her opinion or how people saw her. That's what I really liked about her. We sat there talking for a while. She lived just down the block and was starting her senior year of high school in the fall. When she asked me where I went to school, I muttered something about being home schooled and she laughed. Told me I was pretty sociable for being home schooled.

"So, you're adopted?" Libby asked as though trying to wrap her mind around it. "That's pretty cool."

I smiled as we both sat Indian style on the bench facing each other as we played checkers. She didn't care that I had beat her several times, and was letting her win this time. The truth was we were enjoying the conversation more than anything.

"I think so. My parents are great. My mom bought a theatre and my dad-" I thought for a moment, what could be a cover story for Nate? "-runs the family business."

Taking a moment, we both glanced up to see Rosalie and the twins playing together still, before going back to our conversation and game of checkers.

"So, you have more siblings?" she asked as she double jumped me and claimed my pieces.

"Sorta," I replied, not mentioning the new baby on the way. "But they're kinda like my aunt and uncles too. It's hard to explain. My parents look after them, but they're a lot older than me."

"Are you looking into colleges yet? What are you wanting to do?" Libby asked as I moved my piece.

"Well," my cheeks flushed red. "I'm probably going to stay in the family business, but I've always considered going to school for music. I play the cello and piano."

This got Libby's attention. "Really? That's awesome! I can't hold a tune in a bucket."

We both laughed as she claimed my final piece. Folding the box back up, Libby stuffed it in her bag. I didn't bother asking why she carried a checker board around in the diaper bag, but I didn't argue. It was fun. I kept studying her discreetly. Had I just made a friend?

Glancing up at the playground to check on Rosalie again, I jumped to my feet. Libby and I both gasped when we say it happen. Rose was standing just beside the pole to slide down into the pebble gravel when one of the older kids rushed past her, knocking her off the five foot landing and onto her arm. We both were on our feet in a second running toward Rosalie who was screaming.

The boy who had knocked her off was also immediately at her side, telling her how sorry he was soon followed by his mother. Libby had collected the twins while I kneeled down next to Rose. She had her left arm pulled to her chest and was crying, ignoring the blood that was oozing from her knees.

Her arm was bent awkwardly as I ignored my own racing heart and tried to calm her. "Rosalie, sweetie, it's alright, it's okay," I told her as I fought with myself whether or not to pick her up as she held her left arm.

"Are you her mother?" the boy's mother asked as I touched Rosalie's cheek and brushed off her tears that continued to roll.

I resisted the urge to send a smart-assed comment about how I was _not _her mother. "I'm her sister," I replied instead.

"I'm so sorry, Kolbe knows not to push the little ones…" she tried, obviously feeling awful.

"I want Daddy!" Rose cried as I finally decided to pull her into my arms. The ER it was.

"Libby, I'm taking her to the hospital. Will you call my mother and tell her I'm headed to Saint Francis Emergency Room?" Libby nodded and I rambled off the number. "Please tell her not to panic."

I knew the request was hopeless, but I was doing my best to remain calm. I was the worst sister ever.

*TEAM*

Sophie had just sat down at the bar and was munching on saltines when her cell phone started to buzz. She didn't even bother looking at the number, assuming it was Anna calling to say she was on her way back home.

"Did I ever tell you that you're the best daughter in the world? Thank you for letting me sleep," Sophie answered the phone as took a bite of another cracker.

It surprised her when the voice on the phone was not Anna's. _"Mrs. Ford? This is Anna's friend, Libby. Rosalie fell off the jungle gym and hurt her arm-" _Sophie was already on her feet, reaching for her car keys. She didn't care that her hair wasn't done and was just in a bun. _"Anna asked me to call and tell you. She's on her way to Saint Francis ER."_

"Thank you, sweetie," Sophie replied, the calm in her tone contradicting her racing heart as she pulled out of the garage.

"_Mrs. Ford, go easy on Anna. I think she feels guilty."_

Sophie smiled at the concern in the other girl's voice. Of course Anna felt guilty. "I'm not mad. Just worried."

With that, the phone conversation was over as Sophie did well over the speed limit to get to the hospital.

*Anna*

The ER wasn't very busy and due to the fact Rosalie was screaming bloody murder when I rushed in, we were taken back right away. Nurses were handing me stuff to fill out. Stuff I hadn't the slightest idea what to do with and they kept asking if we had insurance and just stood there, overwhelmed as more papers were shoved at me.

"Can you tell me what happened to your sister?" a nurse asked me. Her tone was calm and patient, unlike the others who seemed to be in a rush as they handed me clipboards and kept walking. They had taken Rose somewhere and I was extremely uneasy.

"I want to see my sister," I demanded, but felt frozen as I heard her crying. I didn't want to get in the way, but she was scared and so was I.

"She's alright. Where's your parents?" the nurse asked again.

Rosalie screamed out my name and I looked pleadingly at the nurse. "Please let me see Rose. She's scared!"

Seeing that I wasn't going to be able to answer any questions until I was with my sister, the nurse nodded and guided me down the hallway. Rose was sitting on a bed, fighting with one of the nurses who was trying to speak with her. When she saw me, her teary brown eyes brightened.

"Nana!" she reached out for me with her good arm and I went to her, pulling her into my lap. "Make them stop, Nana!"

I shushed her. "They're going to make you better, sissy."

Rose didn't seem to believe me. "I wanna go home!"

"It's okay, sissy. These people are nice. I swear," I told her. Slowly she began to calm down and allowed the nurse a better look at her knees, not willing to let them touch her arm yet.

Finally, the other nurse looked back at me. "Can you tell me your names?" she asked. I hesitated out of reflex and the woman noticed. "My name is Jenny. We're just trying to get some information."

"My name is Anna Ford and this is Rosalie," I replied almost robotically. "She fell off the jungle gym," I kept going in a rushed manner. "I should have been watching her closer, but I was talking and the boy knocked her off…"

Jenny gave me a patient look. I hadn't even noticed I was crying too, until she offered me a tissue. "Where are your parents?"

"Dad's on his boat and I asked Libby to call Mom and tell her where I was going. She's probably really worried…" Jenny nodded and took down this information.

"Can you tell me your parents' names?"

At that moment I froze. Oh no. I had just given them information, possibly the wrong information. My mouth slammed shut as I tried to think of a way to undo the possible damage I had caused. Was I supposed to use my real name or was I supposed to use an alias?

Could I possibly screw up more today?

*Team*

Sophie slammed her hand down on the front desk of the ER. She was not in the mood for people ignoring her questions. "Two girls. One a toddler the other a teenager. They are _my daughters_! Anna and Rosalie Ford."

She had never been so furious in her life. How hard was it to tell her where her daughters were? The extra hormones pumping through her body didn't help either. It just made her want to want to go all mother bear of the poor receptionist who already looked mildly frightened.

"Ma'am, I don't have anyone here by that name," the receptionist answered, her face frozen in fear as Sophie glared back down at her.

She was about to jump down her throat again with a blonde woman looked over at her. "Both have dark curly hair?" she offered.

Sophie nodded vigorously. Thank God.

"Follow me. The baby won't calm down and the other one is too focused on the little one to answer questions."

Sophie followed the nurse, not surprised at all by the way she described them. Anna was not an easy conversation when she was scared and Rosalie being scared made Anna scared.

The nurse held open a glass door to a room with the curtains closed. She rushed in to see tears running down both of her daughter's faces and Anna staring at a white haired nurse. Immediately Anna looked over to Sophie and she started sobbing, not even getting a word out. That did somewhat take her by surprise.

Sophie went to her daughters and put her arms around them. "What happened?" she asked anyone that would tell her.

Anna's head was on her mother's shoulder, but she was gasping for air too much to speak. The nurse took this opportunity instead.

"You must be Mrs. Ford, am I correct?" Sophie didn't correct her, just nodded. Both the girl's last names were Ford so it was easier this way. "I'm Jenny. Apparently Rosalie fell off the jungle gym."

"Kolbe ran into me, Momma," Rosalie told her, for once calmer than her sister.

Anna wiped her eyes and looked at her mother. "I should have been paying more attention. I'm sorry, Mom."

Sophie gave her daughter a patient look, trying to show that she didn't blame her, but the nurse stepped in. "Anna, dear. Things like this happen to kids. I'm sure you were hurt plenty of times through your childhood. Maybe a broken bone or two?"

The horrified and pained look on Anna's face confused the nurse. Yeah, Anna had broken bones when she was younger, but most of them were from her father or other bad people. That's probably why Anna felt so guilty.

The other nurse who was bandaging Rosalie's knee looked at Sophie. "We'll have to do an x-ray of your daughter's arm. You'll have to hold her."

Sophie nodded and took Rosalie from Anna. Placing her hand on Anna's cheek, she looked her in the eye. "Darling, it's alright. It's not your fault," Sophie told her gently.

Anna nodded and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Do I need to call Dad?"

Sophie checked her watch. Nate said he was going to be back by dinner, so he was probably on or near the docks already closing up the boat or preparing to do so. "Call him and remind him not to panic. You know how he is."

Anna nodded and watched at the nurse led Sophie and Rosalie out of the room.

Sophie suddenly stopped and looked at the nurse. "An x-ray… umm… does that-is that…" The nurse turned around and gave Sophie an odd look. Finally she sighed and leaned in toward the nurse. She lowered her voice so Rosalie wouldn't hear, just in case she understood. "I'm pregnant."

The young nurse gave Sophie a gentle smile. "It's safe, don't worry. Keeping it a secret for now?" she asked nodding at Rosalie who was clinging tightly to her mother's shirt.

"I tried. But my other daughter is much too perceptive for her own good," Sophie replied lightly, suddenly feeling light again. There was something about sharing the new that made her feel almost giddy, even though Rosalie was hurt.

Two hours later Nate appeared at the hospital, smelling of the ocean just after they had received the x-ray results. She had fractured her arm, and she was already wearing the pink cast with pride.

"Daddy!" Rosalie said happily. Noticing that Anna was sitting in the corner reading her book and looking like she wanted disappear, he casted a glance at Sophie. She responded by giving him a shrugg and standing so he could take the place next to Rose.

Sophie moved across the room and sat on the arm of Anna's chair, her arm resting on her hand daughter's shoulder.

"Hey, sweetie. Heard you took a pretty good fall," he told the little girl running his hand over her face gently.

She showed her dad the pink cast and looked proud. "Nana was scared too. And I cried a lot."

He smiled and looked back over at Anna in the corner. "Yeah, Anna was worried about you. But guess what I just heard," he said to Rosalie getting really close to Rosalie's face. "We get to go home and eat peanut butter, cheerios and bananas! You and Nana's favorite!"

This did make a small smile crack on Anna's lips and Sophie gave Nate a thankful smile.

Nate poured cheerios into a large bowl as Anna melted the peanut butter and Rosalie helped Sophie cut three bananas. Nate got out glasses and poured the milk. Rose threw in the bananas as Anna drizzled the melted peanut butter over the top of the contraption and Sophie grabbed four spoons.

Peanut butter, cheerios and bananas was one of the first things that Sophie noticed Anna ate. It was like her go-to midnight snack and even breakfast at times. After watching her eat it for eight months, Sophie finally decided to try it and it was addicting. Soon Nate and Rosalie were eating it too. It was extremely difficult to eat without milk, but with it, it was delicious.

All four of them sat on the couch. The bowl in Sophie's lap as Rose sat on Nate's and Anna leaned against Sophie. "So you made a friend today?" Sophie asked casually as they all watched TV together.

Anna smiled. "Yeah, her name is Libby. She her sister had twins that she babysits for," Anna explained. "She thought it was cool that I wasn't socially awkward even though I'm 'homed school'."

The fact that Anna found it exciting cracked both her parents up. "Congratulations on not being socially awkward," Sophie teased taking a big bite of the cheerios.

Anna beamed.

It was ten o'clock and Sophie was ready for bed. Tapping Anna to let her up, she excused herself. Nate had already taken Rose up to bed and Phantom had taken his place on the floor. As Anna sleepily laid her head back down on the couch, she looked at Sophie.

"You gunna tell him?" she asked rubbing her eyes and pulling the throw blanket off of the back of the couch.

Sophie smiled and leaned down to kiss Anna's head goodnight. "Yup."

Anna smiled at her. "Nervous?"

Sophie kneeled down and stroked her daughter's hair. "Yes. Very. Nate and I have a very complicated relationship and this kinda seals the deal, ya know?"

Anna reached up and squeezed her mother's hand. "Mom, the deals been sealed since my name's been Ford. If that didn't do it, you two buying a house together and taking in Rose should have." She grinned. "I'm pretty sure you two are just being forced out of denial."

She laughed a little and nodded. "Goodnight, love. Don't worry about Rosalie, kid's really do just get hurt sometimes."

Anna's smile faded slightly but she nodded. "Night, Mom."

Sophie walked up the stairs and found Nate brushing his teeth in the bathroom. She moved toward him, stepping between him and the counter. He leaned past her and wiped his mouth, putting his hands around her waist, resting his hands on her stomach. She leaned against him and closed her eyes.

"Miss me?" he teased as his kissed her neck.

She turned her head and captured his lips with hers. She grinned at the minty taste. "Like crazy. You're going to have to quit leaving so much."

He chuckled as she turned around and he lifted her onto the bathroom sink. She was now perfect height for him to look her square in the eye. His hands ran up and down her thighs as he stepped between her legs. He undid the button of her jeans and helped her out of them without letting her move from the counter.

"Two kids getting too much for you?" he asked kissing her neck and holding her against him.

"No," she replied pushing him away so she could see his face. "But three might be."

The confusion hit him quickly followed by the realization and then joy. Relief flooded Sophie as she laughed and he picked her up from the counter. "What? Are you serious?" he asked they both laughed and smiled. He placed her on the ground and looked down at her stomach. His hands covered her flat stomach as he looked her in the eye. "We're having a baby?"

Her hands covered his and she nodded anxiously. "Yes, Nate. We're having a baby."

He laughed again and spun her around before kissing her madly. Then he pulled away and shook his head. "I should have known. I should have seen it."

Sophie rolled her eyes and kissed him again. "Anna did. She was technically the first one to know, but she sorta guessed."

Nate just pushed his lips back on hers. "We're having a baby."

Sophie looked Nate in the eye. "Just one to add to the mix."

He laughed. "This is going to be interesting. Three kids. A mouthy teenager, a toddler and one on the way."

"Sounds like a family," she replied.

"Sounds perfect."

He picked her up and spun her again, kissing her intensely. The she broke away. "Oh, and I bought a theatre, but we can talk about that in the morning."

Nate laughed as he pushed her back on the bed and was on all fours above her. "We're having a baby, Sophie."

She leaned up and kissed his lips. "We're having a baby."

_**Now, I have written out an entire basis for the storyline. Are you guys excited or think this is the worst idea possible? Please review!**_


	81. Poppy

_**Anna knows about the baby, but now… How will Rosalie take it?**_

*Team*

Anna had the bow in her hand, dragging it across the strings as she stared at the new music Nate had brought her. It was… hard. Something Anna hadn't experienced in a while. Sophie was standing at her easel, her pencil in hand, sketching out something before she began the painting. Nate was reading a novel on the Cold War and Rosalie was skillfully putting together a puzzle with her good hand.

Anna kept getting more and more frustrated as she struggled to get the rhythm and notes correct. Nate and Sophie had both noticed her grunts of irritation before she groaned and completely stopped, hanging her head. She bit her lip as her fingers silently loved against the strings, her eyes closed as she tried to get the fingerings perfect.

Nate just waited for it. Anna had a tendency of forcing her frustration out through her instrument and it was usually the most interesting music that came from her. That's what made her an artist, beauty comes from struggle.

Sophie also stopped for the moment, turning her attention to Anna. Rose even seemed to be frozen waiting, anticipating whatever they were going to hear.

Anna lifted her head, her eyes still closed. Both hands were suddenly picking at the strings. It was something sweet and high. It was innocent. Slowly she began to play the child like tune before sliding her fingers down in such a way that it sounded completely different. Urgent. Rushed. The sound of teenage impulse. It was fast. Powerful. Angry even.

Sophie watched as Anna's head moved with the emotion of the song. Her fingers sliding up and down the neck, lifting and trilling notes. The tone changed again to innocent, sweet and childlike. But dropped to the urgency again. Then rose again. It a battle.

Nate folded his book as he watched her move, her body completely engulfed in the music. It came to a jostled stop and Anna let out another frustrated sighed as her eyes snapped open and she pushed the sheet music away. "Gah!" she exclaimed shoving it in a folder and taking out a new piece instead. She'd come back to it later, she always did.

"One of these days, I'm going to burn all your music and watch you do that all the time," Nate told Anna, picking up his book again and going back to reading. "You really have no idea how interesting it is."

Seeing this as an opportunity, Sophie cleared her throat and looked down at Rose who seemed completely content. Nate raised his eyebrow. "Now?"

Sophie nodded and watched as Rose fitted the last piece of her fifty piece puzzle into its spot. The kid was oddly good at puzzles. Going from ones as large as fifty to a hundred pieces at the age of two had to impress people. The bulky pink cast did tend to get in her way, but she was beginning to get used to it.

Anna paid absolutely no attention to them as she began to spend go right back into the piece she was practicing before.

Sophie reached down and picked up Rosalie who went willingly, always accepting attention from her beloved family. Sitting next to Nate on the Victorian style couch, she turned Rose to face them. Recently Rosalie had not been in the best mood, and Anna still felt bad about Rose's arm.

"Rosalie," Sophie said softly, searching the child's face. "Daddy and I want to tell you something."

Rose stared at her mother. Her eyes were expectant and it was almost bizarre how bright she was. You could see the wheels turning in her head.

"Rose," Nate said clearing his throat and preparing himself for the worst. "Rose, Momma's going to have a baby."

There was no tap-dancing around it, just getting it into the open was the best. Rose stared at her parents. There was very few times that confusion was every shown on the toddler's face, but this was one of those times.

"What?"

Anna had stopped playing and was watching with an expectant expression. Anna knew her sister better than everyone and she seemed to find everything funny so far.

Sophie and Nate both seemed a little flustered by her confusion. "Rose, baby, I'm going to have a baby. You're going to have a little brother or sister." Rose still didn't react and Sophie tried again. "You're going to be a big sister."

When Anna saw that they were still getting nowhere, she decided to step up. Putting her cello to the side, she moved toward her sister. Rose watched her sister as she kneeled near Sophie's knees. Taking her little sister's hand, she guided it to Sophie's stomach. Anna's hand completely covered Rose's and she could feel Sophie tense beneath the touch, watching both girls curiously.

Rose watched her older sister. "Inside Momma is a _little bitty_ baby," Anna told Rose making the little girl turn her attention to their hands. "Beneath our hands, inside Momma's tummy it's there. Growing big and strong."

"Did Momma swallow a watermelon seed?" she asked making all of them laugh. Well, at least they were getting somewhere.

"Not exactly, but kinda," Anna told her. "But the baby will stay in Momma's tummy until it grows big and strong. Then one day, Momma will go to the hospital have the baby."

Rose crinkled her nose. "Baby?"

Anna nodded. "Yep. Our little brother or sister. Do you understand?"

Rose looked at their hands again and added her casted hand to the stack too. "There a little seed in Momma's tummy and it'll grow up and be a baby. The baby will be our little brother or sister," she recited clearly.

Sophie and Nate both watched, completely amazed by how great Anna was with Rose.

"Exactly," Anna nodded and gave her sister a pleased smile. "But when the baby gets here, you have a very important job. You know how I look after you, cheer you up when you're sad and play with you?" Rose nodded. "That's what you have to do when the baby comes. You have to try your very best to look after the baby."

Nate watched as Anna continued. She was so patient with Rose that it often amazed him. Where on earth did she learn this?

"Momma and Daddy will get tired and maybe cranky but I'll always be here if you need me. Don't think they don't love you though because they love us both _very _much," Anna looked back at the hands on Sophie's tummy. There was a flash of fear on Rosalie's eyes and she looked away.

"What's wrong?" Nate asked, reaching up and touching Rosalie's cheek.

"You're not getting a new Rosie are you?" she asked, looking between Nate and Sophie. "I like being Rosie."

Sophie put both her hands on Rosalie cheeks. The ball of anger grew in her stomach and she suddenly hated Melissa and Antonio a little more. Their idea of replacing Anna was now a fear set into a toddler's mind. The intelligence level was damning at times to children. Anna and Rose are both clear examples. Seeing the motives behind people's actions at a very young age. Hell, it wouldn't surprise Nate or Sophie if Missy didn't tell the child that was exactly what Rose was to them.

"No. We love having an Anna and a Rosalie," Sophie told the children, but looked over at Anna to be she was taking this in well.

"And the new baby will just be an addition," Nate informed her.

Rose moved both her hands to where they were both on Sophie's tummy and Anna propped up her head on her crooked elbow. "So, Rosie and Anna and Mommy and Daddy _and _Poppy?" Rose asked.

Nate smirked at her. "Poppy?"

Rosalie nodded but didn't look away from her hands on Sophie's belly. "Baby Poppy."

Sophie smiled and pulled Rosalie up, pulling her up and kissing her. "You are going to be a great big sister, Rose."

"I'm gunna be a great big sissy, Mommy," Rose told her, finally showing some excitement.

Both Nate and Sophie could thank Anna for Rose's acceptance. Quietly, Anna moved back to her spot in the corner of the room and it bothered them. Whether Anna was going to admit it or not, she was preparing herself to be pushed out. Yet she completely understood. She was closer to an adult than a child. Rosalie and the baby would grow up as siblings and possibly even friends. Anna could be seen as an aunt.

_But Anna's still their little girl._

"Anna, get back over here," Nate commanded lightly, not wanting her to feel negatively at all.

She shook her head. "It's your moment," she replied shrugging.

Sophie looked over at her too. "It's our moment. We're a family, love. Now come over here."

Anna just gave her mother a patient smile, before slowly walking over to them. Rose was still focusing on her mother's stomach that her hands were place on. No one rushed her understanding, this was a hug adjustment for her.

"Nana?" Rosalie asked softly. "Did Bubby ever sing with you?"

This gained everyone's attention. Anna looked down at her sister and shrugged. "Sometimes."

"He sang with me," she replied.

The all watched at little girl shuffled on her mother's lap before moving up to her mother and looped her arms around her neck. "_Silenzio ora, il mio bambino, si ancora l'amore non piangere."_

Anna's eyes grew wide as she immediately recognized the smooth tune. Rose looked over at her sister and kept her ear pressed against Sophie's shoulder. "_Dormire come il tuo scosso dalla correr."_

Anna put her hand on Rose's cheek as she joined in. _"Sonno e ricordo la mia ninna nanna, e io saro´ con te quado sogni."_

Nate watched as tears formed in Sophie's eyes from the beautiful of a shared bond. Not to mention the melancholy tune of the remembered lullaby. "_Trasportato dai fime che a flussi attraversa le mie braccia. Ti trasporta come io canto te lo vedo il tuo sorriso cosi pacific e calmo. E ti stringo e sorrido anchio. Qui le mie braccia salvo da ogni male. Ti stringo e sorrido anchio."_

"The River Lullaby," Anna told her sister. "Do you know it in English?"

It was possibly the most beautiful thing Sophie had ever seen as Anna picked up Rose and placed her on the piano bench next to her. Nate pulled Sophie against him as they watched Anna's fingers dance across the keys in a powerful but sad melody. "Hush now my baby," she sang along with the keys. Rose looked up at her, watching as she translated the words. "Be still love, don't cry. Sleep like you're rocked by the stream. Sleep and remember my lullaby, and I'll be with you when you dream."

"Drift on a river that flows through my arms. Drift as I'm singing to you. I see you smiling so peaceful and calm, and holding you I'm smiling too. Here in my arms, safe from all ham. Holding you, I'm smiling too."

Rose looked at Sophie and Nate. Tears were rolling down their mother's cheeks as Nate gave them a small smile. The song sounded as haunted as the shadows in Anna's eyes, but it was also just as hopeful. It was beautiful and in a way perfectly fitting.

This was one of the first moments where both parents realized that Anna was trying her absolute best for everyone. She was pushing everything aside and trying to be the best sister and daughter she could be.

Nate watched as Anna quietly excused herself, but he raised his hand to stop her. "Ans, why don't you call your friend, Lexy-Lindy-"

Anna tried to hide her humored expression. "Libby, Dad, her name is Libby."

"Right, Libby. Why don't you invite her over tonight?" he offered.

Sophie glanced at Nate, not hiding her surprise. Anna on the other hand, seemed leery as well. "The team's coming over tonight, you're suppose to tell them about 'Poppy'," she reminded them, gesturing to Sophie.

Nate shrugged. "After dinner. Be a normal kid. Have a friend over and hang out."

There was a mocking smirk that came over her lips. "Dad, I she thinks I'm somewhat normal. You don't think a night with my family would ruin that?"

Sophie didn't know whether to laugh or actually take offense to her words. The weird thing was that she was almost glad Anna had said something so typically teenager. Nate on the other hand did not find it extremely funny. "Invite her over An."

She rolled her eyes. "I'll text her, but I will also remind you that most kids have plans Fridays after school."

Nate scoffed at her. "School? You mean teenagers go to school? Maybe that's what we should do, Soph!" He nudged her and winked as Anna crossed her arms and prepared for their playful batter. "Anna to boarding school!"

"Boarding school?" Sophie played along. "Think that could hold her?"

"Maximum security prison might take us off the Best Parents of the Year ballot. Boarding school- we're just getting her a grade A education!" Nate went on.

Anna was lightening up, running up to Nate and plopping down beside him nudging him playfully. "You would be _so bored _without me!" She nudged him again and then looked past him to her mother. "Besides, Mom needs me around. I'm helpful."

Nate put his arm around Anna and hugged her before looking at Sophie. "So what do you think? Keep her around? I mean, she does feed the dog and look after Rosalie."

Sophie made a dramatic sigh. "Well, she's an intelligent little thing, maybe she could be of some use to keep around."

Anna rolled her eyes and smacked a kiss in her dad's cheek. As she stood and headed for the door, she hesitated for a split second. "Dad-" then she shook her head. "Never mind. I'll text Libby."

Nate and Sophie looked at each other while Rosalie sat on the floor beginning to get frustrated with her cast, which meant she was most likely getting tired. "Did you see that?" Sophie asked referring to Anna's behavior. "She's really thinks she's getting pushed out."

Nate frowned. Two adopted kids, one biological child. This may really be more difficult than they planned. "We'll take it as it comes, Soph."

*Anna*

I wish I could have taken a picture of everyone's face when Nate and Sophie broke the news. They looked completely shocked at first but then it turned to joy in a heartbeat. Parker nearly leaped across the table at Sophie while Rosalie began talking about the Baby Poppy. We all celebrated with a healthy dessert Eliot whipped up.

When we all made our way to the living room, laughing and talking about possible baby names and how Nate was already sorely outnumbered so he should cross his fingers for a boy. Sophie laughed as Parker kept going on how cool it was going to be how fun it was going to be.

I just kept sitting there, waiting for the knock on the door. "Please try to be normal," I begged them for the hundredth time that night. "I could really use a normal friend."

Hardison gave me a get real look. "What the hell do think we're going to do? Start talking about the time I hacked into the Pentagon?"

"I stole the hope diamond!" Parker jumped in, before faltering slightly when she received stern looks around the room. "What? I put it back."

This was going to go terribly. Taking a deep breath I rolled my head back and sunk into my spot on the couch. Sophie sat down beside me and pulled me into a tight hug. "Darling, we can act normal."

Just then Rosalie spun around and kicked Eliot's hand in a perfect roundhouse kick. "Yes, because everyone's two year old sister is learning martial arts," I muttered.

The doorbell silenced everyone and I was on my feet in a heartbeat. Then I hesitated. I shouldn't seem too anxious and rush to the door, right? Taking another step I decided that it wasn't the best idea to keep any guest waiting at the door. Then I hesitated again. What do you say when you open the door?

"Anna, open the damn door! Now who's the one that's not being normal?" Eliot grumbled pulling me out of my train of thought.

Reaching for the door knob, I prepared myself. Libby was standing there with a look of cockiness. "Sup, girlie?" she said lightly.

"Hey," I replied trying to hide the nerves I was feeling. I stepped aside so she could take a step in and I could close the door behind her.

Libby took in the whole room. It was obvious she was impressed. "Your interior designer needs to give my mother their number. Our house looks dull compared to this," she said lightly.

Sophie beamed at her. "I'll take that as a compliment." She stood up and offered her hand out to girl. "Hello, I'm Anna's mother. Sophie."

Libby gave her a pleasant smile. "And you're British. Totally cool." She accepted Sophie's hand. "Libby Howe. Rosalie plays with Jordan and Julie sometimes."

Sophie smiled before looking past her and scanning my face. I gave her a big smile and then motioned toward Nate who had also stood. "This is my dad, Nate Ford."

Libby smiled. "Hello."

Libby glanced around the room and smiled at the others. "I take it you," she pointed to Hardison, "are the guy with some mad video game skills, Hardison. And you," she motioned toward Parker, "super daredevil that taught Anna about mountain climbing and stuff? Parker right?"

Parker nodded anxious.

Then Libby raised her eyebrow at Eliot. "Hot big bro. I added the hot part, but hey, I'm nothing if not honest."

If it was possible, Eliot may have blushed. All of us laughed as Libby grinned, completely unafraid of her words. That's why I liked her. She just spit things out without caring all that much. Laughing, I grabbed Libby's arm and drug her up the steps. "We'll be in my room!" I called over my shoulder to Sophie.

"Seriously, girl. This house is awesome," she continued, glancing around the house. "And it's nice to see parents that actually love each other. My mom's been remarried three times and my dad four. I was the product of both of their second marriage."

She shrugged like she didn't care, but I could tell that she enjoyed the homey atmosphere that our home provided.

It was cool having a friend my age. We sat on the bay window, letting the cool fall air cut through the screen against our back as Phantom watched us from the floor. She told me about her sister, the only full sibling she had, therefore her only real sibling (according to her), her mother that had custody of her even though she was out of the country most of the time on business and the nanny, Nina, that raised her.

When she asked me about my past, before I was adopted, she didn't argue when I mumbled not talking about it. She talked about high school and how stupid it was, even though I sometimes wished she was there.

She talked about boys like they were a certain type of drug that I didn't quite understand. Well, I mean, I understood, but just about one boy. Quinn.

"So, Miss Priss, still have your V-card?" she teased lightly as taught Libby how to do the fishtail braid.

My cheeks didn't burn, it walk kinda like talking to Parker. It was just harmless girl talk. Who was she going to tell that was going to affect me? I wasn't afraid of her, and maybe if I opened up a little… she'd really be my friend.

"Well, no," I said lightly.

The braiding stopped as she turned to study my face. "You're still with the guy! What's his name?"

I laughed like I always did when someone brought up Quinn. It wasn't an actual funny, but it made me feel like I should laugh because of the butterflies that came alive in my stomach. "Quinn. That's all you get to know. What about you? Still a virgin?"

Libby's usual burst of sarcastic energy shown through with a certain adolescent pride. "Nope. My mom's favorite line is 'Never regret' so I don't even though he's an ass."

I bit my lip and closed my eyes. "I don't regret it at all. Even though he's a bit older."

This really got Libby's attention. "How much older?" I bit my lip and shrugged. Libby's eyes got even wider. "Oh my God, Anna, how much older?"

I squeezed my eyes shut and bit my lip again. "Eight years…"

Libby's eyes about popped out of her head. "Oh my God! Feeling dangerous much? He must be really something."

As I grabbed my cell phone off my bed, I flipped through my pictures deciding one of my favorites of me and Quinn and I showed her. It was a picture of the two of us sitting against my bed from one of the times he had come over and watched movies with me until I fell asleep. It seemed so long ago.

"Oo sexy! Not as sexy as Eliot." Libby sighed dramatically, grabbing one of my pillows and falling back onto my bed. "Eliot, now that's a fine piece of country ass."

I laughed at her. "Why does everyone always say that?" I joked.

"Because it's true."

*Team*

The others had left, calling up goodbyes to Anna as they walked out the door. Eliot even put Rosalie in bed at eight-thirty as usual. Nate was still downstairs when Sophie went up to check on Rose a couple hours later.

She walked up the steps, and pushed Rosalie's bedroom door open. Much to her surprise, she didn't find the littlest one in the house sleeping soundly like usual. Immediately she moved out of the room and began her search.

Sophie found Rosalie sitting outside her sister's bedroom holding Teddy. She smirked and went over to her, hearing the giggling from behind the door. That was a sound she was almost positive she'd never hear. Anna laughing with a friend her own age.

"You're a little young to be eavesdropping, little missy," Sophie told her, kneeling down in front of her.

Teddy tucked underneath her chin and being held tightly with her casted hand. She crinkled her nose. "I don't want to share, Momma. Not Nana or Daddy or you, Momma. I don't wanna share."

Sophie frowned as she noticed that blankie was also tucked underneath her. "Well, baby, Nana shares her Teddy with you," she tried, knowing it was probably a hopeless move.

"I don't wanna share, Momma. Poppy will make me share more and blankie is mine and Nana's _mine_," Rosalie stomped her foot against the hardwood floor.

Realizing she was a few words away from dealing with a full out tantrum or sobbing two year old, Sophie reached down and picked her up. Immediately Rose curled into her mother. She passed Nate on the steps, gently pecking his cheeks and telling him she'd be in bed in a moment.

She moved toward the activity room and sat Rose down on her couch. For once, Sophie didn't care about the risk of paint on the furniture as she pulled out her good quick dry paints.

"Momma, you said no painting on the couch," Rosalie told Sophie as she placed her casted arm on the side of the couch.

"This is a onetime thing," Sophie defended, but she had a strange feeling that she was going to regret this later.

Sophie slowly began to run the brush over the pink of the cast. Rose watched closely as her mother drew butterflies and ladybugs and lilies. Things that the little girl loved.

"I want you to know, my beloved Rose, that you _will_ have to share," Sophie told her daughter as she put her paints to the side and let the paints dry. Then she took the little hands in hers and ran her thumb across Rosalie's knuckles. "But let me tell you something, I don't like sharing either."

Rose gave her mother a bewildered look. "But Momma, you share," she contradicted. "You share Daddy and Nana with me."

"You know what though? That doesn't feel like sharing. It's more like growing," Sophie tried to explain.

When Rose didn't respond right away, Sophie suddenly began to question her mothering abilities. Toddler talk was not her strong suit. Anna was really good at translating, but she was a little busy being a teenager to help her be a parent.

"Okay, Rose. You remember the first day you came?" Sophie scanned the girl's face as she nodded. "Well, when you came Anna did have to share, but the love she had to share was nothing compared to the love she gained by having you around."

Rosalie looked back down at her cast that was now covered with little touches of her mother's creativity. "Poppy will love me too? Will I love Poppy?"

Sophie smiled. "Hopefully. It may take a little bit of adjustment, but yes."

Pulling Rosalie into her arms, she headed back up the steps. "Momma, will Poppy and me be friends? Like Libby and Nana?"

The idea actually really touched Sophie. "I hope so." Sophie moved toward Anna's bedroom and knocked on the door before pushing it open just a bit.

Anna was sitting on the floor flipping through a magazine that she felt the need to hide with a pillow when Sophie pushed the door open as Libby hung upside down with her hair dangling toward the floor.

"Staying over, Libby?" Sophie asked casually, as Rosalie rested her head back on her mother's shoulder.

Libby checked the time on her phone. "Actually, I should be getting home. I didn't tell Nina I had plans after volleyball." She did a summersault off the bed and landed it like a gymnast. "Don't worry, I can let myself out."

Sophie gave the girl a smile as she headed out the door. She noticed that Anna had kicked the magazine under her bed before sitting back to normal. Sophie rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Think I've never seen a Cosmo before?"

Anna grinned. "Gee, Mom, aren't teenagers suppose to hide those things?"

Sophie pretended to think while Rose looked at her sister. "Nah. Not you and me."

She laughed and moved toward her mother. Anna was beginning to realize how lucky she was to have such a great mom and dad. Even if it was just in their own odd way.

Together the three girls headed toward the master bedroom where Nate was already half asleep on his side of the bed. Anna jumped on the bed and slammed her small body into Nate's back. "Hey! Wake up! You didn't tell me goodnight!"

Sophie gave Rosalie a gentle toss and she landed hard on Nate's torso. Both girls squirmed against their father until he finally retaliated. "Goodnight girls. It's late."

"But Daddy, look at my cast!" Rosalie cheered holding it out and effectively hitting him in the nose with it by accident. She flinched along with her father. "Sorry Daddy."

Anna was interested. "Did Mom do that?"

Sophie watched the whole thing play out. Nate being invaded lovingly by his two daughters, even though it was well past everyone's bedtime. It took several minutes to get both the girls back into their own bedrooms and the adults had their bedroom back to themselves. Sophie sighed as she collapsed on the bed next to Nate who immediately let his hands find her tummy.

"In a couple years there will be three beings invading our bed," Nate complained sleepily.

Sophie smirked to herself. "Anna will be nineteen in a couple of years, think she'll out grow that by then?"

Nate didn't even open his eyes and still managed to give her a _get real _look. She laughed. "Of course not. Anna's… Anna and I love her for it."

"Anna… and Rosalie," Nate pulled her a little closer and held her, ",,,and Poppy."

His hand went to her sides and smiled as she squirmed and laughed. "This is going to be a long road ahead of us," she told him as she turned around to face him.

He finally opened his eyes to meet hers. "Can't think of anyone else I'd rather take it with."

It was at that moment that realization hit him. He really could live without her. He couldn't spend image a single moment not having her with him. He wanted it to be more than a silent promise, he wanted to make his mark, for all of them. Anna wasn't getting pushed out, Rosalie wasn't being replaced, and the woman he loved was carrying his child.

…he needed a ring, and maybe a little help from his oldest daughter to make it perfect.

_**So… Next chapter Nate's going to Anna for proposal advice as well as the touch into the intro of the micro brewery and the Very Big Bird Job (maybe, this one may be a skipped, but I have several original cons I'm excited to put in). Some Anna and Quinn too? **_


	82. Proposal in the Darkness

_**Welcome to the Broken Locks Rollercoaster. This ride includes tearjerkers, plot twists and even a few flashbacks. Please remain seated and have a box of tissues at hand. **_

*TEAM*

The air was cool as Sophie walked with Nate, hand in hand. Portland was beautiful at night, not that either of them noticed. He was too busy trying to shake his nerves away as they moved toward their car. She just kept glancing at him, wondering why he was acting slightly off.

Nate just kept thinking about what Anna had said earlier. The way she reacted.

_Anna cut her steak like a perfect lady, and revealed all the manners and characteristics her mother had taught her. Her big brown eyes looked up at his blue and she gave him a look that was so classically Anna. There was a spark her eyes as they squinted at him, but a small smirk like she enjoyed the challenge it was to try and reveal the secret he was holding. _

"_What aren't you telling me?" she asked finally, watching as Nate sipped his red wine. _

_He put down the glass and smoothed the napkin on his lap. He was going to tell her. Just tell her. "Anna, I need to talk to you about something important."_

_Taking the hint, she gently placed her silverware down and sat even straighter as she looked across the table at her father, leaning in just enough to tell him he had her attention. "Yes?"_

_Looking into her eyes and already smiling, he touched his daughter's hand on the table. "I'm going to ask your mother to marry me."_

_Her eyes went wide and she pulled her hand away in shock. "No!" she nearly shouted with horror, gaining the attention of all people eating around them. "You can't do that!"_

_That was not what he expected at all. His hopes crushed with a single word as he stared across at Anna. He made a terrible mistake. This was a terrible mistake. The look on Anna's face told him that. _

Sophie squeezed Nate's hand and he instinctively pulled her closer as they continued to walkdown the sidewalk. Grand opening to the new art museum, part one completed.

"What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" she asked as she smiled slightly. He tugged her closer to shield her from the cold air.

A weak smile played on his lips as he turned his entire body to her when they arrived at the car. "You look beautiful, Sophie."

She laughed slightly as she put a hand over her stomach, she was still not showing. "Let's see how long that lasts," she replied less than enthusiastically.

Nate shook his head. "You're always beautiful, Soph."

"_Anna, quiet down!" Nate hissed as he watched her horrified expression turn to anger in a flash. His heart was breaking and this was the very first step in the process. Even worse, Anna looked about in tears herself. _

_She was on her feet and neither of them knew when that happened, but she calmly smoothed her dress and retook her seat. Her heart was pounding wildly as she stared at him with wide eyes, her curly brown hair loose and tamed down her back. _

"_Nate, you can't do that." _

_Another chip cracked out of his heart. Not only did Anna say no, but she called him Nate. Something she hadn't done in months. His silence told her that she needed to continue, to explain her bizarre behavior. _

"_She's pregnant. If you ask her to marry you because she's pregnant, I don't think _I _will forgive you," she explained her voice in a quiet hiss. She looked frightened. It was her classic frightened anger she had turned to and for some odd reason it made him feel a little better. "She'll hate you if you try to do the 'good guy' thing and marry her because you knocked her up."_

_There was a slight panic when he thought about how he sounded just then. Sophie wouldn't forgive him if that's where she thought he was coming from. "That's why I need your help, An," he told her, almost desperately. "I don't want it to look like that. I want to spend the rest of my life with Sophie, I did before the baby."_

_Anna rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Gee, Dad, great bloody timing."_

_Well, it was a step. They were back to dad again. He didn't speak, just took another sip of his wine. She sighed and leaned forward in her chair toward him. _

"_I need you to promise me you won't screw this up. That you mean what you say and that you will always be there for Rose." _

_She was once again distancing herself from him, trying to push Rose ahead to be sure she was taken care of before herself. Maybe she was making sure Rose was being taken care of instead of herself. _

"_Anna, no matter what, come hell or high water, I will be always be there for Rose _and _Poppy _and_," he tried to look her in the eye but her head was down, "you, Anna. I want to show all of you, and your mother, that I'm all in. I can't imagine my life without you all."_

_Anna wasn't buying it. Slowly he reached out and touched her arm, a gesture that he was always sure to associate with trust for her. She needed to trust him. When she looked into his eyes, he was surprised to see them filled with unshed tears. He was getting through to her. _

"_Sweetheart," he said gently, never noticing that the entire restaurant had been staring at them since Anna's little uproar, "the idea of living without your mother is physically painful. I wake up every morning and the first thing I look for is your mother. She was the first light in my life after Sam died and you and Rose… you're the gravity our world. You've brought us together and taught us so much about love."_

_Anna was trying her absolute best not to cry, but Nate was looking at her with tears in his own eyes. "Anna, your mother is my compass…"_

Nate touched Sophie's soft dark hair that was curled for the occasion. Then he looked deep into her eyes before leaning in to give her a slow, passionate kiss. She ran her fingers into his hair and held him there as their kiss deepened, finally breaking away for oxygen.

She gave him a slightly confused smile as he rested his forehead against hers. "I love you, Sophie. So much…"

This concerned her. Her heart began to race at an irrational pace. "Nate, you're beginning to worry me. You're okay, right? You're not dying from liver failure, the girls are alright? Moreau isn't back to try and kill us all?"

He threw back his head and laughed at her. "No, Sophie, nothing like that." He leaned in and pecked her lips one more time before giving her a once over. "The dress you and Anna picked out is amazing."

He opened the door for her and saw her roll her eyes. "If I hear Anna say anything about my boobs being too big for any of my other dress, I may kill her."

It was no secret Sophie's chest had already taken the hint she was expecting, and with the way her dresses fit her before, the comment from Anna was to be expected. "I'm not complaining," Nate tossed back at her, making her roll her eyes again.

They drove in peace and quiet, something that they rarely experience already and knew they could say goodbye to that by May when they baby arrives. They decided to enjoy it while it lasted.

_A watery smile appeared on Anna's lips. "Then you better do it right," she commanded, trying to laugh as the tears ran down her cheeks._

_He laughed too as he blinked away his tears. Anna went around the table to him and hugged him tight. "That's why I need your help."_

"Dinner at my favorite place, the opening of the new art museum, a moonlight stroll," she mused as Nate pulled into the garage and he let her take his arm. "Gee Nate, you make me feel spoiled."

He beamed at her as they walked out of the garage and toward the front door. She studied him. "What do you have up your sleeve, Nate Ford?"

The grin was wide on his lips as he knocked on the door. Sophie gave him an odd look as they heard familiar little feet go running against the hardwood floor followed by the door swinging open to reveal a little girl in a very adorable black dress with white embroidered flowers and lace and a white headband in her curly hair.

Sophie couldn't help but find it completely adorable when Rose's expression suddenly turned a little frustrated. "You're late, Daddy," she pouted. "It's past my bed time."

There was music playing from the den. It was soft and very Paris. Nate bent down and looked Rosalie in the face. "I'm very sorry, but can we still come in?"

She held up one finger before taking off running back into the house. There was an exasperated sigh from Anna and suddenly they both were at the door. Anna was also dressed in a very elegant black and white lace dress with her long hair completely down and not tied up for once. Maybe it was the hormones, but Sophie was choked up a little to see both girls standing there in coordinated outfits.

"Welcome home," Anna said sweetly, her pageant smile shining brightly as she took an extra second to make eye contact with Nate. "Of course you may come in."

Rose was placed on her feet as Anna took both her parents coats and hung them on the rack. All the lights were dimmed and there were candles placed throughout the house to add effect. The soft sounds of Paris enchanted the atmosphere as Sophie found Rosalie tugging on her hand and pulling her from her trance.

"Momma, you're supposed to go with Nana and Daddy," Rosalie told her.

Sophie gave a weak smile as her littlest daughter guided her from the den into the living room. Immediately her breath was taken away. The room had been completely cleared. Her furniture, TV, everything but the wall decorations were absent from the room. Instead what replaced them was a small table for two with a rose and candles for decoration and the projected image or the Paris skyline.

"It's… beautiful," she gasped too busy to notice Nate and Anna's exchanged look of victory.

"_You need to get your point across that you love her, all of her, no matter what," Anna explained as she and Nate sat at the bar of the micro brewery, trying to devise the perfect plan. "What does Mom love most in the world?"_

"_Shoes?" Nate offered immediately as he sat there. "Jewelry… art."_

"_Art!" Anna chirped. "Art. That's what you share. That's how you're connected. Use that."_

Nate pulled out Sophie's seat for her and allowed her to sit down before joining her on the other side of the table. Sophie looked down at the dish in front of her. Crepes. With blueberries and strawberries and the lightest amount of fruity sugary syrup. Just the way Sophie liked them.

She looked up to Anna. "Eliot helped me…" she explained softly. "I'm still not very good at making them without your help."

Rose moved toward them and pointed to Nate's plate. "Nana said I could put Daddy's together because he's not as picky as Momma."

Anna's cheeks burned red, but both adults laughed. Sophie smiled at Anna. "It's okay, I know I've been picky lately. Thank you."

Nate looked across the table at Sophie. "Anna's actually been a big hand in this."

"_Come on, Dad. Paris is her favorite place in the world!" Anna pushed, slamming her fist down for extra effort. _

"_It's also where she shot me!" Nate snapped back absently rubbing his shoulder. _

_Anna rolled her eyes. "You shot her too! Besides, tell me that's not the place where the spark ignited."_

_Nate looked over her plans. It wasn't a bad idea. In fact he knew Sophie would love it, but they were not going to Paris. Not with Sophie being pregnant and not with Anna and Rosalie staying behind with the others. No matter how much he trusted Eliot, Parker, and Hardison, he knew how both of them could be. _

"_Let's compromise…"_

He didn't want to wait any longer, the ring in his pocket was driving him insane as he absently ran his hand over it again. Sophie was contently eating her crepe and he was sure Rosalie and Anna were just inside the kitchen listening for the first sign of him making his move. He cleared his throat and closed his eyes for an extra second.

Sophie glanced up at him with a slight smile that didn't leave her face often. "You alright, dear?"

He let out a soft chuckle.

"_You alright, Dad?" Anna asked as they walked through the fourth jewelry store that day. _

_He exhaled and pointed through the glass. "That's the one."_

_Anna rushed over to his side and looked through the glass. It was perfect. "That's the one," she agreed._

Nate pulled out his chair and moved in front of Sophie who was still sitting down. "Girls, come here please," Nate called to them, going off script and he knew Anna realized it immediately. Both girls appeared from the kitchen, Rose in Anna's arms.

"Come over here next to your mother," he told them and watched Anna's confused expression as they obeyed.

Anna stood just beside Sophie's chair as Nate walked over to the coat rack and pulled out two boxes. He went back to them and opened them, revealing two diamond pendant necklaces. Anna gasped as she got a better look at the jewelry.

"I saw these and I couldn't help but think how much better they would look on my daughters' necks," he said lightly as he hooked the first one around Rosalie's neck and then Anna's.

Sophie gave him an approving smile. "They're beautiful, Nate."

He shrugged a little as he touched Anna's face, looking at her. "You asked me what Sophie loved most in the world because that's the way to get to her heart. The thing is, we already share what she loves most in the world with what I love most. We share you two."

Tears choked both Anna and Sophie as Nate leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead before moving toward Sophie and kneeling infront of her. Her heart was beating so fast she was almost frightened.

"You have been with me through being a drunk honest man, a sober thief, and a hateful bastard," he told her, making her chuckle even though her tears were now running down her cheeks in pools. "You're what keeps me grounded and what drives my passion for everything in life. Without you, this," he motioned to the house they were in and the family they had acquired, "would not be here."

He took her hand in his and looked her square in the eye. "I want to spend the rest of my life knowing you're there. That I'll wake up tomorrow with you next to me and that the woman I love more than life itself is willing to spend the rest of her life with me where you are Sophie, Jenny, Charlotte, or Lara-" He gave her an extra long look. "You are my compass. You are what gives me direction in my life and I will always follow you home."

Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the ring. Sophie gasped as he opened the box and slid it onto her finger, her cheeks damp. "Will you be the woman I spend the rest of my life with?"

She threw back her head and chuckled through her tears. "Oh, God, yes Nate. Yes. A million times yes."

Anna tried to hide her tears as Sophie jumped into Nate's arms and they slammed their lips together. Some people did happily ever after. Smiling to herself, Anna moved to the hall closet and pulled out two bags. Sophie broke off the kiss and looked at the two of them.

"What are you doing?" she asked as Anna straighten the bag on her shoulder.

She grinned back at them. "Figured that you two could use a night off from parenting so Rose is staying with Eliot tonight and I'm staying with Libby," she explained making both her parents blush.

Sophie decided to take this as a gift as she moved away from Nate to embrace her daughters. She kissed both of them sweetly and looked Anna in the eye. There was something there that she didn't quite understand in them, but didn't fight her, just cupped her face.

"You're a very special young lady Anna," Sophie told her, watching as a spark of sadness hit her. She leaned in and kissed Anna's forehead again. "I'm very lucky to have you in my life."

The smile Anna gave didn't quite reach her eyes, but Sophie could tell she tried. She was trying very hard.

Nate gave them both a firm hug and offered up his keys for Anna to take. Sophie and Nate would spend the rest of the night celebrating.

*ANNA*

Eliot took Rosalie and was thankful it was well past her bedtime by the time she arrived at his place. I had changed Rose into her PJ's and gave him the infamous notebook Sophie kept on both of us. He gave me a small smile as I tuck Rose in on the couch.

"Sophie happy?" he asked as I laid Teddy next to Rose to look after her while she slept.

"Ecstatic," I replied, forcing a smile. "She's beside herself."

Eliot smirked as he took a seat in one of the chairs. "Never seen Nate so nervous," he mused. "It was actually nice to know he's human."

That I completely understood. Nate not always acting human. "I still think he has super powers," I said softly as I brushed Rose's hair off her face and softly traced her facial features with my index finger. She was precious when she slept and naturally cuddly.

Eliot studied me. "Then why do you look like you don't have faith in him right now?" he asked me bluntly, making me stop my motions and turn toward him. "You have more faith in Nate than all of the rest of us put together. You normally act like he can do no wrong."

I glared at him. "I know Nate's not perfect."

There was a small look of triumph as he leaned forward in his chair toward me. "Then why do you always expect him to be?"

That was the million dollar question. If I know he's not perfect why do I always feel like he should be. Maybe I did expect a little too much out of Nate right now. He was suppose to be perfect for all of us, and to tell the truth, he manages to come pretty damn close even when I push him. He asked me for help. He came to me to ask me to help him do it right. To properly ask Sophie to marry him in a way she could not say no.

He took what I had to say and made it even better by not only asking Sophie to marry him but to emphasize that Rose and I are incredibly important to both of them. We are something they share, more than art and history. We were family and families stick together.

That's what I wanted to believe. I wanted to believe that families stuck together, but I was scared that once I started to look at the future with some hope that is when I'd lose everything. I wouldn't be prepared for the worst and let everything fall around me and shatter.

Truthfully, and maybe this was ridiculous, but I really felt like it was my job to keep our family together. To make sure that when Nate drank too much Sophie didn't stay mad for long. When Sophie pushed, Nate didn't push back too hard and let their relationship implode. That Rose didn't cause trouble because we weren't really their kids.

I swallowed hard. We weren't really their kids. We weren't _really_ their kids. We weren't their blood or a product of the love they shared. We were- we were misfits that they stumbled upon.

_This isn't the land of misfit toys. _

Nate had said that the night Sophie opted to take me in. No, Nate wasn't perfect, but he wasn't a stupid misfit either.

Standing up and reaching for my keys, I shrugged at Eliot. "Maybe I wish he was."

With that, I wished Eliot a goodnight and climbed into the car. I drove fast and wild, until I reached the ranch.

At night it was eerily dark. The only lights were the ones from the city that glowed in the distance. I had been here half a dozen times at night by now. Sneaking out late to just relax with the horses and have short conversations with Quinn was something I very much enjoyed.

As I walked around the corner of the barn, I was surprised to see Quinn standing there smoking a cigarette. Giving him a funny look, I leaned up against the barn beside him.

"I didn't know you smoked," I commented vaguely.

He shrugged. "Started when I was sixteen. Quit a hundred times, but I seem to always buy a pack when I get stressed out," he told me before tossing the butt of the cigarette to the ground and smashing the cherry with the heel of his boot.

I slipped my hand in his and moved against his side, not caring that he smelled of smoke. He was warm and being close to him made me feel secure. He put his arm around me as we walked toward the living quarters of the ranch. He was the only one that stayed on the ranch at night, it was part of the running it ordeal, but it gave me a quiet place to hide out.

"You look upset," he said softly as we stepped into the house and I shed my jacket.

There was no reason to hide it from Quinn. "Dad asked Mom to marry him tonight," I replied taking a spot on his couch and waiting for him to join me.

He kicked off his boots and sat down next to me. "Okay, shouldn't you be happy about that?"

I laid against him and squeezed his hand as I looked at the embers burning in the stone fireplace. "Yes, I should be," I muttered.

Most of me wanted to tell him to shut up, just tell him to hold me as I cried and let myself bury my pain and shove it onto the shelf of things I don't talk about. But he wasn't going to let me drop it, he knew better.

"Anna," he pressed, giving me a small squeeze.

I bit my lip. "Mom's pregnant," I said finally.

There was a moment that he took to process this. "Alright, I'm confused. Why do you sound someone ran over your dog? That's good new right? I mean, they're happy about it?"

Sitting up, I sighed. "I'm scared, Quinn. For so many reason it's not funny, but I can't let them know I'm scared," I whispered, feeling very small.

His hand touched my cheek and looked deep into my eyes. "Why are you scared, An?"

The question turned into a ball in my stomach as I squeezed my eyes closed and swallowed down tears. It felt almost stupid as I tried to put it in words. "Sophie's not prime age for this and what we do is dangerous… I'm- I'm worried something's going to happen to her or the baby and… that'll kill them. Sophie and Nate. I can't let that happen."

Quinn watched as tears rolled down my cheeks. "Anna, you know you can't control what happens in the world-"

"But I should be able to protect my family!" I shot back at him. "They have to be protected. All of them."

Gently touching my face, he shook his head. "Anna, we can't stop all the bad things in the world. You're the kid, they protect you."

I pushed away from him and stood up from the couch, grabbing for my jacket. "I'm not their kid though! Poppy! Poppy's their fucking kid and Rose and I are going to be pushed out!" My own words were surprising me. "I was so happy, _so_ happy when Sophie told me she was pregnant! Then Nate asked her to marry him. He gave us these necklaces and told us we were what they shared, what they loved most in the world." I angrily wiped my tears away with the back of my hand as Quinn moved toward me, watching me as I lashed out at the world. "But it's not us anymore! It's Poppy!"

His confusion was obvious. "Who's Poppy?"

I waved my hand at him as though it was not important. "That's what we call the baby," I muttered, folding my arms around myself to try and find my calm place. "Somewhere, in some terrible place in my gut, I don't want this baby. I don't want the baby! I don't want it- I don't want it at all."

His expression turned firm as he shook his head. "You don't mean that, Anna."

I took an angry step toward him. "Yes I do! It can hurt Nate and Sophie if something happened to it! It can hurt Rose when Sophie and Nate realize what it's like having their own child! It can hurt me!"

Suddenly I was sobbing, my tears choking me as Quinn wrapped his arms around me and guided me to the ground. "Why can it hurt you, Anna?" he asked softly.

I buried my face into his shirt and cried, my body shaking. "Because I will always be the product of two terrible people, while that baby is the product of love."

Quinn held me, gently stroking my hair as I continued my sobs. I couldn't believe the words came out of my mouth. My shelf had cracked and the emotions came tumbling down letting Quinn tend to them. He was my best friend and the man I loved.

"You really don't see it do you?" he whispered as he stroked my hair. "You're like that little bit of light in the darkness. You love so passionately and you're so easy to love. Somewhere in the pool of darkness was you. A light bright enough change lives. That's what you do, Anna." I looked up at him. "You've changed all those people, and for the better. You've shared your light."

I shook my head and tried to dry my tears. Quickly I stood up and moved toward the door. "I have to go, Quinn," I said bluntly, pushing out the door.

"Anna, no, stay!" he called after me as he tried to pull his boots on.

I didn't listen, I just pulled car door open and forced the keys into the ignition. My foot hit the gas hard and I drove to our neighborhood and parked the car in the driveway. I slammed the front door behind me as I moved around the kitchen, opening drawer after drawer searching for where Sophie and Nate kept the matches, Phantom following me and barking at me as I went.

Half the cabinets and drawers were open as I pulled open the bottle of Jameson and poured a glass, matches in hand. Nate and Sophie were both running down the steps as I put the glass to my lips and took a hard swallow. Phantom never let up on the barking.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sophie demanded with horror as I emptied the glass and poured myself another.

I didn't immediately answer her, just finished the glass again and grabbed the bottle and the matches. Pushing past them and stumbling slightly, I moved up the steps toward my bedroom. My heart was pounding in my chest.

Light? I was a light in the darkness? So what if I was the light? I was still drowning in the darkness. I was surrounded by it. So what if I was something to marvel at? My lights were dimming and the darkness was eating away at my soul.

I pushed through my bedroom door and pulled at the piece of wood that hid the secrets of my past. Cory's letters, the home videos of my recitals, all the items Cory had given me, other than the photo albums. Nate and Sophie were standing in the doorway, Sophie in her white robe and Nate in his pajama pants and t-shirt, as I gathered all the items in my arms.

Phantom continued to bark.

"Shut _up_ dog!" I shrieked at him I moved back down the steps, past my parents again.

"Anna Devereaux Ford, what the hell are you doing?" she snapped again as I put the bottle to my lips and moved through the sun room.

Nate reached out and snatched at the bottle but I physically pushed him away. I could feel my eyes blazing as they both looked at me in shock.

"Light in the darkness," I spat as I moved into the grass and dropped the contents of my arms. "Light in the fucking darkness." My words were beginning to slur as I poured the whiskey over the videos and envelopes.

Nate grabbed the bottle from me this time. The alcohol was quickly taking over my bodies and my decisions.

With both hands on his chest, I pushed Nate back angrily, not caring that I had dropped the matches in my rage. "Go away! Go away! I don't want the darkness anymore!" I shouted at him as I turned away from him and looked for the box I had dropped.

Nate grabbed my wrist as Sophie stood with a hand over her mouth, fear in her eyes.

"Anna, what is wrong with you?" he begged as I lashed around, trying desperately to get out of his grip.

"I don't want to be the light in the darkness! I don't want the darkness anymore, Daddy!" I begged, tears running down my cheeks as I pulled and pulled trying to get away. "I don't want it! I hate it! I hate it all!"

"Anna-" I shoved him back hard, not even taking time to care that I had pushed him to the ground as I snatched the matches off the ground and began striking them against the box.

Every time I would get one to light, the wind would kill the flame, making me cry out in anger.

I could feel the presence on either side of me as I struck match after match.

"Anna…"

Tears were rolling down my cheeks. The darkness was a part of me. Maybe I was the darkness. Maybe the light that everyone saw was just a dull hope that it would be there. I was easy to love, but I was also easy to push away.

"I don't want this…" I cried, throwing the box to the ground and slamming my fist into the dirt.

"What don't you want, sweetheart?" The calm tone of Sophie's voice mocked me. I felt like she was treating me even more like a child.

"I don't want you two to be so happy with each other and the baby that you don't need Rose and me anymore," I continued. I had been crying for so long I was getting exhausted, especially from the alcohol.

There it was, the truth of everything in world, finally revealed. Slowly I had turned to see their faces. Of course, they would have expected the jealousy from Rose, but I was acting like a child. A damaged child that was so lost it hurt. But that's what I was. I was damaged and scared and as much as I tried to be the perfect daughter I wanted to be for them, my shelf had broken and I was crumbling to pieces.

Arms wrapped around me, but no words were spoken to immediately calm my pain. "I don't want you to get married and have a baby and not need us anymore," I sobbed.

"Anna, we love you," Sophie said softly.

I shook my head that was buried against her chest. "It won't be the same…"

*TEAM*

Sophie looked up at Nate desperately. She didn't know what to say. The truth probably. Anna would see any lie.

"I'm scared too," Sophie whispered honestly feeling Anna go frigid. "I'm scared it won't be the same love."

Nate looked at her in shock. He didn't expect that. Her words were pained and filled with guild as she rocked the girl that was crying in the grass, still wearing her elegant dress. Slowly Sophie looked up at Nate again, fear in her eyes.

"Do you love Anna and Rosalie like you loved Sam?" Sophie asked him.

He was taken aback by her question, but in truth it was a fair, honest to God question that could resolve this entire matter. Taking a deep breath he looked away from them. "No."

Anna broke. That was all she had to hear. She pushed away from her mother and got to her feet, pushing away Sophie's attempts at retrieving her. The anger burned in Sophie as she tried to calm her daughter. She needed to know that, but at the same time she wished Nate would have lied to her.

"I love you like I should have loved Sam," Nate said finally.

This froze Anna's actions. Both Sophie and Anna turned to see Nate staring at his feet. "You learn how much more you should have loved someone when they're taken away from you. I love you, I _love_ the way losing Sam taught me to."

Nate looked up to see his fiancé and daughter staring at him. "Love is the same, Anna. Love is love."

Without another word Anna ran into his arms and he held her tight. "We'll find a way out of the darkness, Anna, but you will always be the light."

She nodded into his neck. "Okay, Daddy."

Sophie came up behind them and placed one hand on Anna's back and the other over Nate's hand. This was why she was marrying him. She loved the man he was for them. She loved him because he was the only man in the world that sometimes just knew the right thing to say.

But most of all, she was marrying him because when she looked into his eyes, she knew everything was going to be okay.

_**Okay, I lied. NEXT chapter will be more into the cons and such. Hope you guys enjoyed. **_

_**I hope you have enjoyed the Broken Locks Rollercoaster. Please be super amazing readers and tell the author about your ride and review! Love you all. **_


	83. Trust and Sharpies!

_**The first bit is quite emotional, but I think the ending is pretty much worth it! **_

Anna was finally sleeping, curled up against Sophie on her bed who held her like she might slip away. They had seen Anna through a lot of tantrums, but this time she was almost self destructive. You could see the pain in her eyes and she wanted the physical pain along with it, but when she latched onto Nate, she didn't want to let go. It was like he had saved her from drowning and she was afraid of going into the water again.

They wanted the darkness gone too. They wanted to be gone for her.

She felt so ashamed. Ashamed of the darkness that haunted her and ashamed of letting the pain show through to Quinn, or maybe she was more embarrassed by that. Quinn had witnessed Anna's break. Some may say he set her on the edge and gave her a small push. He would never hurt Anna purposefully.

Purposefully or not, Anna was still clinging desperately to her mother even as she slept. Sophie had one arm around her body while her other hand was gently placed on Anna's knee. She was half humming/half singing "My Favorite Things" afraid to fall asleep and wake up to Anna being gone. She wasn't going to lose Anna to the darkness, she wasn't going to let Anna lose to herself.

Nate reappeared in Anna's bedroom doorway after picking up the items in the yard. He looked at the videos he had recovered. They smelled of whiskey, but they would still work.

He glanced over at Sophie who seemed to be in a trance before moving toward her Blu ray player, sticking the disc in and joining Sophie on the bed. She looked up at him, surprised. "What are you doing?" she asked as he pointed the remote at the TV.

"I'm prying," he replied, the exhaustion in his voice.

She glanced at the TV screen and saw the image turn to a big brown eyed child who was glaring at the camera, the image frozen patiently waiting for someone to press play. Sophie looked back up at Nate and absently squeezed Anna a little tighter.

"Is this a good idea?" she asked, but already deciding she wanted to do this as much as he did.

"We've tried waiting, we've tried listening, we've tried watching. Prying a little may do some good."

Sophie laid her head on his chest as he picked up the remote and hit play, allowing the image to come alive.

Anna was eight, her hair wild with even tighter curls and her skin was an extremely dark olive. She had definitely spent too much time in the sun. She glared up at the camera as she clutched a hardback novel in her hand. _"Cory we're going get in trouble! Stop!"_

Anyone could hear the fearful edge to her voice. She glanced behind her, eyes wide in terror and only then reveal the bruise spreading across the back of her little jaw. The voice behind the camera spoke.

"_We're not going to get in trouble. Mom's sick and Dad's with his business. Quit being a baby."_

There was a fight behind Anna's eyes as they shot back to the camera. Both Sophie and Nate recognized the expression of Anna biting her tongue as well as a bit of pride. She didn't want to be a baby, she wanted to be a grownup like her brother, but she also wanted to avoid anymore bruises. Nate silently wondered if Cory had similar markings.

The camera was wobbly placed on something and a boy a bit older than Anna walked out in front of it. Cory had to be about thirteen at the time. He moved toward Anna who tried to make herself comfortable again and start reading her book. She shifted under his gaze. _"What?" _she grumbled pulling the book higher.

"_What are you reading?"_ he asked reaching out and snatching the book away.

She huffed and tried to get it back. _"Harry Potter. Can I please have it?"_

"_Isn't that about witches and stuff?" _he asked, not hiding his mocking tone. _"And aren't you a little young to be reading a book this big?"_

Anna's big eyes rolled toward the ceiling as she crossed her arms over her chest. _"Mama gave them to me so I can read on the plane. You probably can't even understand half the words. It's a fifth grade reading level. Need me to translate?"_

Nate smirked. Even at eight Anna was a natural smartass and as intelligent as could be. She held herself high, knowing full and well she was the more intelligent one out of the two of them. There was a wisdom well beyond her years that burned in her deep brown eyes as she challenged her brother, one that had definitely advanced in the years since this video.

Cory opened his mouth to say something but both children froze and looked toward the door. Anna snatched the book out of Cory's hands before reaching toward the camera to turn it off. Before she could touch it, the door flew open and revealed Melissa Moretti.

Sophie gasped seeing her pale face give a weak smile as she moved toward the kids. _"You know your father will be very angry if he sees your playing with the video camera,"_ she told the kids gently.

Anna had both hands to her side as she nodded. _"Yes, Mama. I'll go to my room, Mama." _

She moved toward the door quickly, but before she could reach it, Antonio appeared.

She stumbled backward and crossed the book in front of her as though it may protect her from him. Both Sophie and Nate watched as the little girl started speaking in quick and anxious Italian. So fast neither of them could quite grasp was she was saying. Apologies, forgiveness, there were a few concepts they could catch here and there.

But Antonio just shook his head. _"You know better than to play with my things Anna_," he growled as she glanced at Cory for help, but he remained silent. _"Turn it off." _Anna glanced at Cory again, but before she could move Antonio's hand had knocked her to the ground and left her with a hand print on her cheek. _"Turn it off!"_

She nodded. _"Yes Daddy." _Slowly she got to her feet and moved toward the camera. As she reached over the top of the camera, she stared into the lenses with her eyes speaking loud and clear. She was begging anyone to help her.

The screen turned black for a short second before showing another stilled image of Anna with her arms crossed around Teddy. She was outside somewhere.

Sophie pushed down Nate's hand as he started to click play. "I don't want to watch this, Nate. Anna wouldn't want us to watch this."

He looked at Sophie, tears were in her eyes. It was so hard for her to see Anna hurt and seeing what caused it was even worse. She wanted to be able to stop it, he wanted to be able to too, but they could remove the past as much as they wanted to.

"It'll help us understand," he tried, but he could see he was getting nowhere.

"By giving us a visual of the physical abuse and not the pieces it left behind?" Sophie's voice was only grief stricken. "We know what happened, it doesn't matter what it was exactly, we know she was hurt."

Her eyes moved down to the girl that was laying in her arms, a slight frown still on her lips and her face sticky after her long night of tears. Sophie's face was almost a mirrored image. "I saw it this time. I saw her on the edge and that's more than ever before," Sophie tried to explain to him, desperately needing him to understand. "Every time before she broke because of a reaction to us, but this time it was so different. It was like the words were on the tip of the tongue. The words _I need help _were in her eyes and I looked past it."

Slowly she looked back at Nate. "But I saw it this time… We're… we're doing something right for her."

Nate watched as agw made herself a little more comfortable on the bed and pushed Anna's hair out of her face. She was in a difficult place right now, but he could also see that she was determined. "She needs to know that we love her and-and I will continue to tell her that every day and I will show her every single day, because I saw it this time. Maybe next time… I can save her."

The tears rolled down her cheeks and Nate brushed them away as she ran her hand up and down Anna's arm. "She has to know that I'll never leave her. That's why, that's why I'm staying right here until she wakes up and I will listen to anything she has to say."

His hand was cupping her damp cheek as she looked at him with a strange amount of determination and fear. Neither one of them could bear to lose their daughter to the darkness of her past, but the threat felt different than before. Nate was beginning to wonder if Anna was beginning to fear that she would become the evil that she was born with.

This was a new battle to them. Nate knew his father was a bad person, but he never forced him into the same line of work, most likely knowing that he would fail. He didn't know enough about Sophie's family, but the way she spoke about them before, he felt he could assume they were good people. The rest of them were sprinkled with abuse and pain, but none of them knew what it was like to know that true evil pumped through their veins from both parents. Even worse, none of them grew up being told that they were supposed to be bad.

Nate leaned in and kissed Sophie goodnight before moving to their bedroom. When Anna woke, it would be best if she didn't feel double teamed.

Sophie fell asleep purely because she was exhausted. A night like this would have exhausted her if she wasn't pregnant, but now it was difficult for her to even stay focused. Still, she slept easily with Anna in her arms, not sure what she would wake up to tomorrow.

*Anna*

Pretend like something didn't happen was probably me best defense that I had for myself. That was why when I work up in my bed and Sophie was still holding me like she was the night before, I decided to get an early start to my day.

Normally, I was not a morning person, so a five AM run was actually surprisingly chilly, even for the early fall months. Five miles seemed fair. Just in case they woke up before I was back, I left a note, joking that I hadn't run away, just went running.

Of course when I returned, the note meant very little. They both were pacing in the living room. At least they had taken the time to get dressed for the day; I needed a shower after the run.

"Anna, sit down," Nate commanded gently as I kicked my shoes off at the door and placed them next to the others.

Immediately I ranked my mind for an excuse, but none came so I decided to obey. I sat down on the couch and watched as both my parents sat down on the coffee table in front of me. They seemed completely calm as they exchanged looks.

"Anna, what do you want to do?" Sophie asked gently as I stared back at her. "What do you need from us?"

The questions took me by surprise and I tried to digest them. The night before had been a ball of pain that wasn't really their fault I was just… scared. Still, my answer came without much thought.

"Don't let me become them." It was simple, and the emotion was missing from my voice, but they understood.

"You would never become them, Anna," Sophie said gently. She could see that I didn't quite believe it, but that didn't matter because I could see that Sophie and Nate did. They believed in me and that was more than I could ever ask for.

Without another word, Sophie and Nate stood up and went on to do their daily activities. I noticed I had left my phone in the car so I went out to retrieve it.

Twenty-two missed calls and thirty text messages. All from Quinn begging me to call him back and at least tell him I was okay. It would be easier if I just went and talked to him…

Poking my head through the front door, I called to my parents. "Mom? Dad? I'm going to the ranch."

I didn't bother waiting for an answer and they probably didn't expect me to either. I needed to talk to Quinn, then I'd talk to them.

When I arrived on the ranch, headed out toward the main barn. Quinn was almost always there at this time of day. Usually there were a few other riders, taking lessons or just riding the trail with one of the other ranch hands.

As I entered the barn, I could see Quinn speaking to one of the fathers of a girl on the track. Just by the body language you could tell they were not getting along.

"Call the owner, tell him to name his price for the black one," the man grumbled swinging his hand toward one of the stalls. "Lacey wants it."

Immediately I knew what horse he was talking about. "I'm sorry, sir," I said stepping up next to Quinn and crossing my arms. "Portia is not for sale."

Quinn glanced down at me and his expression softened. Most likely because he was tired of dealing with this man and he had confirmation I was still breathing. I flashed him a small smile before crossing my arms and staring back at the man in front of me.

He was a tall man, built pretty steady, and obviously he rarely didn't get his way. It was always an honor bringing assholes like him off his high horse.

"I'm sorry," he said completely annoyed, "I didn't catch your name."

"Anna Ford. The new owners daughter," I returned snidely. "And my horse is not for sale."

He laughed at me and I just raised an eyebrow. "I think I would like to speak with your father."

Quinn tensed. Nate still didn't know which friend of Eliot's was actually running the ranch. It was something that they were going to have to deal with eventually, but after last night everyone could use a little rest and preparation for that.

Raising my eyebrow, I took a step closer. "Sir, I am the legal owner of that horse, my father would not be able to sell that horse out from under me if he wanted to, which I can assure you, he doesn't. Now, I suggest you walk away before I really lose my patience."

The ice in my voice did do damage to his haughty exterior, and he took a step back. "It's your loss. I meant name your price when I said it."

He turned to walk out of the barn. I wanted to call after him and tell him that we didn't need his money, but I decided to bite my tongue and turn to Quinn instead.

You could see the anticipation in his eyes as I leaned against the side of the stall and took a deep breath. Mentally, I was telling myself to just rip off the bandaid, but at the same time I wasn't sure what the wound would look like underneath.

"I'm sorry," I said first putting both hands to the top of my head. "I shouldn't have just stormed out like that."

Quinn just watched me as I pushed away from the stall and started pacing in the straw. "Really. It wasn't fair to you, but I can't really tell you all about my life right now. All I can say is it still hurts and sometimes I get scared and I don't know what to do." Finally I stopped my pacing and turned to him. "I shouldn't have came here last night. I was so upset and I just wanted to ignore it and spend time with you and I ruined it…"

He took a step toward me and reached to me. I didn't move to him, I just stood where I was, waiting for him to say what he had to say so I could close the book and lock it away. Quinn didn't seem as willing as Sophie and Nate to let me take the lead. It was at that moment that I became scared.

I took a step back and looked away from him. "Don't push me to open up to you, Quinn. It never ends well for either of use."

"Anna, I'm not going to hurt you," he asked me, moving toward me again. Still, I stepped back. I didn't have to look up to know that this was hurting him. "Anna, why don't you trust me?"

Slowly I looked up at him. "I trust you with my life, Quinn. I trust you with my body too. But I can't trust you with my history and my emotions when I haven't quite figured out how to trust them either."

Quinn just stared at me, his blue eye in pain as I finally move a single space toward him. "I came to tell you that I'm alright, Quinn. That you don't have to worry about me." His eyes were searching my face, but I ignored it. "Quinn, please understand…"

He shook his head and threw up his hands. "What is there to understand? You won't tell me."

His words were like daggers. "Quinn…"

"What?" he snapped, glaring at me. "You won't let me in."

My heart was breaking and I wrapped my arms around myself as though to hold myself together. "I don't have to make excuses to you. I know _nothing _about your past, why should I share mine?" No longer was I trying to be patient, I was getting snippy right back. "You've told me nothing about your life and I don't have to tell you anything about mine! I love you, Quinn, I really do, but start listening to yourself! I'm seventeen trying to figure all this out and you're twenty-four acting as though I should already know how to do this. You're just being hypocritical! You can't figure out what you want me to know either!"

I pushed past him and headed toward my car when I felt a hand grab my arm. "Anna, stop, I'm sorry."

I pushed his hand away and tried to keep going. "I'm just not proud of where I came from, or what I've done! Anna stop!"

This time I did. I spun around was nose to nose to him as we stood beside my car. "You think I am? You think I'm proud of where I came from and what I've done? My life was a lot different a few years ago, I thought that's what made us good for each other. We wanted to move past it."

I threw open the car door and slid my key into the ignition. But as mad as I was, I couldn't bear to hurt him. He was still Quinn. Taking a deep breath, I looked at his fear filled eyes. He thought I was going to leave and banish him from my life.

Instead of speeding off like I had originally planned, I stepped out of the vehicle and looked up at Quinn. "I'm sorry, really," he told me as he put both hands on my arms and stepped closer to me.

I nodded. "Let's just… let's just not push each other."

Slowly, his arms moved around me and I welcomed his warm embrace. What I wouldn't give to be able to kiss him, but we had made a deal. Eighteen. Eleven months and one week now. But as I climbed into my car, I couldn't help but love the fact his smell lingered on me. I took a deep breath, inhaling it before driving away. Maybe Quinn and I had more things to learn than I thought.

I returned home just after ten o'clock and was welcomed by the poor dog that had been most likely traumatized the night before. After following through the house barking he then got kicked outside to sleep on the porch. Still, the large pooch circled me excitedly until I finally reached down and petted him.

Before I did anything else, I immediately went upstairs and took a hot shower, even though it mean washing Quinn's smell off of me. It felt good to be clean from all the dirt, sweat and tears of the past hours and extremely therapeutic. An hour later, I appeared back downstairs in my shorts and tank top.

"You know what we need to do, An?" Sophie asked suddenly appearing with a cup of decaf tea in her hands. "We need to get Halloween costumes!"

I gave her a bemused look. "Halloween costumes? Why?"

Sophie huffed a little. "_Well, _have you ever gone out on Halloween?" I blinked at her and she immediately knew the answer. "That's what I thought. It would be good for all of us! Who doesn't like costumes."

Nate who was standing just behind her raised his hand. There wasn't a possible way Sophie could have seen it, but she still managed to elbow him with exceptional force in the gut. The poor guy nearly spit out his coffee. I couldn't help but laugh.

Before I could answer about there was no way I was going out on a Saturday afternoon shopping, Eliot came storming in wearing a long sleeved t-shirt and Rose tucked under his arm like a package. "Here! Here! Take it!" he exclaimed holding her out to Sophie or Nate as she continued her mad round of giggles.

Sophie absently reached out and claimed her daughter immediately greeted her with a loud kiss on the lips. "Hi Momma! I missed you!"

Her arms went around Sophie's neck and the clunky cast nearly took out Nate who as directly behind her. "And Daddy! I missed Daddy too!"

Leaning over Sophie's shoulder, Nate accepted the kiss from Rosalie. "What did she do?" I asked finally as he giggles slowly subsided. Apparently whatever she did, the mere mention of it set the girl off into giggles again.

"I woke up this morning to that _thing_," Eliot glared at Rosalie, "invading my bed."

The rest of us exchanged looks. "Okay?" Nate questioned. "Eliot, she's two. She usually ends up in bed with us every night."

"It was fine, _fine_. Until I got up to take a shower…" Eliot then proceeded to take off the long sleeved shirt he was wearing, revealing all kinds of drawings only a two year old could manage to come up with.

Sophie immediately threw her free hand over her mouth to keep from laughing while Nate and I just had to look away and manage out breathing to some normality. From his torso to his hands, Eliot was covered in bright colors.

"It took me an _hour _to get them off my face! Sharpies! The monster found sharpies!" Eliot explained.

That was it. We all lost it. Sophie was laughing so hard tears were in her eyes and Nate completely turned around with his shoulders shaking violently. I on the other hand was doubled over in complete hysterics.

Immediately I reached into my pocket and grabbed my phone. I took as many pictures as I could before Eliot realized what I was doing. "Hey! You better delete those!"

"Anna, keep those! And please send me copies!" Sophie said through her laughter as Rosalie joined in. Even Phantom couldn't seem to take Eliot seriously.

"You're not going to get on to her! This is _permanent marker_! It'll take forever to get off!"

Sophie was the first to calm down as she wiped her face. "Rose, dear, why did you draw on Eliot?"

Rose tilted her head as she looked back at Sophie. "You drew me a picture when I was sad of some the things I like. Anna looked sad and she likes Eliot so I drew Eliot!"

She was so proud it was impossible to not go into a fit of laughter all around this time. Eliot still was not having any part of it. "You laugh, but I almost wish Anna hated me."

Eliot continued his grumbling as he pulled his shirt back on and left, slamming the door behind him.

Nate looked at Sophie. "Should we be concerned that we're going to wake up looking similar the next time Anna's upset?"

I laughed. "Nah, I don't think so."

They both looked at me funny. "I have a feeling that the activity room is going to start getting locked at night," I replied, raising my hand to Rosalie and giving her a high-five. "Best thing you could ever given me, Rose!"

The pain was mostly forgotten as the images of a very colorful Eliot was passed on to Hardison, Parker, Quinn and Libby. Most of their comments were so funny I shared with Nate and Sophie who laughed alongside me, except for Libby's. There's something that should just not be said about your brother.

_**Who wouldn't want to see those pictures, right? Think Quinn and Anna will be alright? And what kind of Halloween costumes do you think they'll get? I have some ideas, but I wouldn't mind hearing yours! Please review!**_


	84. Halloween

_**Halloweennnnnnnnn**_

*TEAM*

"_Mom_," Anna complained throwing herself down on the bed and pulling a pillow over her face as she groaned dramatically.

Sophie had a new found joy in the exhausted tone Anna used. Getting a rise out of Anna was fun, and suddenly she understood why her own mother did it to her when she was a teenager and how Anna will probably do the same to her children.

"Come on, Anna, for me?" Sophie pleaded, using the card that Anna hated. It was one of those things that when Sophie asked her to do it _for her _she just couldn't say no. Groaning again, Anna raised her hand and Sophie hung the costume from her fingers. "You're so sweet."

"I know I am. Your favorite teenager…" Anna sat us and glared at her mother. "You better remember this," she muttered as she moved into her bathroom to change.

Sophie took this time to examine herself in Anna's mirror. It was week twelve of her pregnancy and there was no real change in her body. Well, unless you count her bra size changing. Her stomach was still flat, without the slightest hint of a baby bump but her jeans were slowly getting snugger. She and Nate had also been _especially _active due to the hormones.

His hands were constantly on her when they were together and she didn't mind one bit. She loved the way they would wonder over her belly and his cheek would rest against the side of her head. Rose would be on the floor with her puzzles while Anna was perfecting a skill one of the other team members had taught her or playing music they had brought.

Anna appeared in the doorway of the bathroom with her head down. "No way," she muttered as she smoothed the skirt to the flapper costume. "Not a way in hell."

Sophie laughed. Honestly, she was just having fun with Anna now. Please. Anna? A flapper for Halloween? Never. "Alright. We'll leave it at the theatre."

Anna huffed and went back into the bathroom to change. "I don't see why I have to get dressed up!" she called through the door. "You're taking Rose trick-or-treating, I'm passing out candy, and then _you all _are going to a party. I'm the _boring _teenager who doesn't have anything to do."

She reappeared wearing her normal clothing and threw herself back down on the bed, obviously put out as she put her hands on her head. Sophie sat down next to her.

Slowly Anna removed her hands from her face and looked over at Sophie. "Can I go to the party? I mean, Libby's going to be there. It's at _her_ house."

Sophie gave her a pointed look. "Then who's going to watch Rosalie?"

"Bring her! Libby said that there's a place for little kids upstairs. Nina will be watching them!" Anna tried, desperately wanting to experience the whole Halloween aspect. Party and all. It was no fair if the rest of the team got to go because Libby's mom invited them and Anna had to stay home and watch her sister.

Sophie exhaled slowly. "I'll talk to Nate about it. But if you go, you have to dress up."

A smile spread across Anna's face as she offered her hand out to Sophie. "Deal."

*ANNA*

Libby's house was… amazing. It should have stuck out in the neighborhood due to its massive size, but somehow it blended in pretty well. There were two stories, with a finished basement as well as a pool house where the teenage party was being held. The little kids were being babysat upstairs while the adults got trashed.

Sophie and Nate were dressed as Bonnie and Clyde while Parker and Hardison dressed as Fred and Wilma Flintstone. Eliot… firefighter. After a long night of trick-or-treating, Rose's bumblebee costume had shed itself from its wings as she snoozed against Nate's shoulder.

I could tell that Nate and Sophie were not sure about bringing her and were considering going home, but they also knew that if they didn't attend one of the neighborhood parties it would look like they were antisocial and the neighbors would snoop. Still, I didn't understand while the others were coming.

The moment Libby's mom, Kimmy, answered the door, I was suddenly extremely happy Sophie was my mom. Yes, Sophie's costume showed a fair amount of cleavage and leg, but she wore it with a certain class that Kimmy didn't.

"Oh hello! I'm so glad you could make it!" she exclaimed. The fake nice in her voice was immediately irritating to all. She glanced to me. "Oh, Hannah-"

Sophie's eyes narrowed through her smile. "Her name's Anna," she told her lightly even though I could hear the bit of bite to her tone.

Kimmy glanced back up to Sophie and beamed even brighter. "Of course. Anna! You look absolutely adorable! What are you? A gypsy?"

I flinched at the term. "Genie actually." I could tell that Sophie was pleased with my manners even though I was freezing standing just outside the door with the majority of my stomach showing. Nate had not been fond of the costume, but Sophie assured him that it was not that bad, considering. It didn't show cleavage or all of my legs, just my stomach. Granted, that did mean that my tattoo was showing.

Kimmy kept smiling at us as we stood outside the door. The realization hit her. "Oh! I'm so sorry! Come in!"

She stepped out of the way allowing us into the house that was shaking with music. One of the house keepers immediately came up and offered to take Rose from Nate, but he shook his head, insisting on following her and not just handing her over.

Kimmy stared at Eliot, standing in his firefighter pants and suspenders (and not much else). "Sorry," she nearly yelled over the music. "I didn't catch your name."

"It's Eliot, Ma'am," he called back, not bothering to hide his disinterest in her. She then guided me through the back door and pointed to the building on the opposite side of the pool that was also coming to life with music and colors.

Libby ran toward me wearing little more than a pillow case and a pair of heels. I raised my eyebrow at her as she offered me a red plastic cup. "What are you suppose to be?" I tossed at her before taking a sip of my drink. I didn't know what it was but it was definitely alcoholic. "Tonight's entertainment?"

She laughed at me before striking a pose. "I'm a nurse, thank you very much."

I laughed. "Maybe from a porn film."

"Oh, sorry Miss _Genie_. Wiggle your nose and make shit happen."

"Libby, that's Bewitched."

"Whatever, you're a slut too."

We both laughed as she threw her arm over my shoulder and we walked into the pool house. There were people everywhere holding red cups in their hands as they danced and held conversations on every side of the room. As you moved further into the house, there were couples making out on the furniture (be it the couch or the coffee table), not caring who was around to see.

"Welcome to the party of the year!" she exclaimed, not hiding the fact she wasn't exactly enjoying herself either.

I frowned at her. "I twisted my mom's arm so I didn't have to baby sit! Why didn't you tell me you didn't want to be here? We could be drinking _my _parent's alcohol and watching movies with Rose passed out upstairs."

Libby sighed and leaned against the window. "Mom expects me to be the social butterfly at these things, but-" she lifted her glass and motioned to the crowds of people that were smoking and drinking, none of them were legal age for either. Then again, I was pretty sure what they were smoking wasn't legal anyway.

"An hour and we'll leave. Mom and Dad won't want to stay long anyway," I called over the music. "This is _not_ there thing."

*Team*

Sophie was standing in the corner of the room, silently waiting for Nate to get back. Parker and Hardison were dancing together while Eliot had found a pretty redhead to entertain for the night. The scent of alcohol hung in the air and it made her slightly nauseous. This was a terrible idea, but if they didn't go they really couldn't afford nosey neighbors. So she stood in the corner of the room, twisting the engagement ring around her finger until Nate appeared beside her.

"You holding up alright?" he asked her as he guided her toward the kitchen. There were people all over each other. The party felt more like a high school party than one for civilized adults. Then again, Halloween was Halloween. It was a chance to not have to be grown up.

"I thought people in the suburbs were homey. The women were ladies and the men were gentleman," Sophie commented as she drank her water, the only non alcoholic beverage provided. "Apparently not on Halloween…"

Nate chuckled. "Everyone's dark side comes out on Halloween," he told her, suggestively running his hands down her sides. No one would notice another couple enjoying each other's company.

Sophie was tempted to compel, but she really hated the fact that Rose was upstairs without one of the team members or herself. She looked over at him. "Can I claim morning sickness and we take Rose home?" she nearly pleaded. "These things are really no fun unless I'm stealing something."

Nate smiled at her and pressed his lips to her cheek. "Let's try and stay for at least an hour, then we can leave."

Sophie pouted, but agreed.

Rose on the other hand was very much not enjoying herself. She was the littlest girl up there and some strange woman that she didn't know kept trying to hold her. "No!" Rosalie demanded as she pushed away from the woman. "I want Daddy!"

Nina was a very kind lady and had more than her fair share of experience with children, but she knew when a child was not going to cooperate. The poor child was maybe the brightest child in the room, and she was not fooled at all by the glamorous toys and such in the room. No. She wanted to go home to her own room and sleep in her bed.

"It's okay, sweetie," Nina told her gently as Rose glared up at her. The little girl's arms were crossed and she stomped her foot.

"I-want-my-DADDY!" The last part came out as a shrill and everyone in the room turned and looked at her. Her cheeks were pink and she was moments away from a complete tantrum. The younger woman, Cali, quickly looked at Nina.

"I'll take her down to her father. He said to find him if we had any problems," Cali looked at Nina. This definitely qualified as a problem.

The cute, sleepy bumblebee with the pink decorated cast that had been willingly transferred into someone else's arms soon woke up to realize that the woman holding her was not her mother or sister, but in fact a complete stranger. That was when the yelling began.

Rose glared at both women until Nina nodded. Cali tried to pick Rosalie up but she moved away. "I walk," she snapped, her arms still crossed. She hopped off the bed and onto the floor. She did not let the young woman even hold her hand as they moved down the steps toward the busy party. "Don't touch!"

"Stay close, Rosalie," she called down to the toddler that stood by her leg. Completely unafraid of the crowd around her. The toddler just glared back at her.

Cali started to move through the crowd, looking for the familiar man with curls until he saw him and the woman she assume was his wife standing next to each other in the kitchen. His arm was around her waist and she looked annoyed at her surroundings. It was cute how they seemed to only want each other's company.

Cali moved toward them, absently glancing to see if the aggravated toddler was still following her.

She wasn't.

Cali stopped dead in her tracks and looked around, the panic registering on her face. Nate found her gaze and immediately she looked apologetic.

In Nate's experience, that was usually not a good thing when it's coming from someone who is taking care of your child. His hand latched onto Sophie's wrist and she glanced up at him with surprise before he nearly drug her across the room to the young woman who was searching the area desperately.

"Where's Rose?" Nate demanded as Sophie looked up to him with horror.

Cali couldn't meet his glare. "She was just here… right behind me…"

That's all they needed to hear. Nate let go of Sophie's wrist and started forcing his way through the thick crowd of people. No one would see a toddler, especially with the amount of alcohol that had been devoured. She could be knocked down and hurt, or worse.

They didn't know these people and now they were definitely regretting coming.

"Where did you see her last?" Sophie demanded, her voice calmed than Nate's only because she knew she had to get information.

Cali pointed. "By the stairs…"

Nate would no doubt be checking the house and the place was too large and too crowded for them to try and find her on their own. She grabbed her cell phone and immediately sent a group 911 text. _Find Rose._

She could see Eliot stop his flirting and reach for his phone. He glanced around and nodded at Sophie. Parker somehow just appeared beside her and decided to take the west part of the property. Hardison replied with taking the east side. Anna didn't reply at all.

*Anna*

Most of the teenagers had moved outside and I had tossed my drink away a while ago. I had been to enough parties to know that there always needed to be one friend with a clear mind to babysit the others. Libby was definitely more than a little tipsy as she danced with three guys who had their hands all over her. I was trying to decide when to pull her away.

"Can I get you a drink?" a tall blond boy asked as I leaned against the wall of the pool house and everyone kept dancing.

"No thanks," I replied, not even trying to humor him as I kept an eye on Libby. The door to the main house was also open now and drunk adults were beginning to mix with the drunk teenagers. What strange hell was this?

He studied me for a moment. "I'm Jake," he offered trying to give me the other cup anyway.

I raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him. "Not interested."

He still wasn't humoring me. I pushed off the wall and tried to move around him. It had been an hour. I was ready to go.

Moving through the pack of teenager and adults dancing, I grabbed Libby's arm and she stumbled toward me. "Time to go?" she asked, her words obviously slurred as she nearly tripped and fell on me.

"Yes. You're coming to my house," I grumbled.

She waved at the boys. "Bye Ryan, Brian, and… the other one…"

Nate and Sophie were standing near the corner of the house and even from yards away I could see panic on her face. Parker and Hardison were nowhere to be seen and neither was Eliot or his redhead. With all the body heat, the back yard was actually a tolerable state, but before I was shivering in the forty degree weather.

Nate met my eyes and guided Sophie toward me into the crowd but they were on the other side of the yard.

I kept dragging Libby behind me as I pushed past a group of guys and tried to get around the pool to my parents.

"Libby!" Jake, the tall blond boy called as he moved toward us from around the pool. I groaned when I felt her stop and jerk me back.

"Jake!" Libby greeted, stumbling toward him, and the pool. I could already see her tripping and knocking them both in.

As a well structured stumble, she crashed into his broad chest and he caught her easily. That was Libby, a seductive klutz. He took a step back and that's when I saw it.

Rose was trying to get around another pair of legs that was standing by the pool. She looked up at me. "Nana!" she called happily as she started to run.

My heart stopped beating as I watched another drunken man step back into her. Before anyone could react the water splashed up from Rose's tiny body going into the pool.

There was a moment of hesitation before I pushed Libby and Jake out of the way and dove into the water.

*Team*

Eliot saw the whole thing. But he was not fast enough to make it to Rose before the drunk back into her and sent her into the pool. Parker was on the other side of the pool and only heard the splash, not even knowing what happened until she heard the second splash as Anna dove into the cold water.

Hardison was still in the house and Nate and Sophie were both to the side of the pool in an instant watching as the light blue material of Anna's costume fight its way across the pool to the black and yellow costume Rose wore. Bubbles rose around Rose's blurry figure as she fought in the water.

"ARTIC PLUNGE!" someone called from around the pool and suddenly the pool was being filled with dozens of drunken idiots, not having any clue of the seriousness of the situation.

Eliot was about to dive in to go after Rose when he lost sight of both girls.

*Anna*

My body nearly locked up in the sudden temperature change as I lunged toward image of Rose flailing in the water. I was nearly halfway across the pool when heard the muffled sound and felt the water being disrupted. Still, I didn't take my eyes off Rosalie.

Bodies were getting in my and I forcibly pushed past them reaching out to the little hand sticking out from a pink cast that reached out to me.

Finally, I grabbed it and pushed as hard as I could off the bottom of the pool. The moment I hit the surface I gasped for breath.

Rosalie was coughing and crying. Fear still pulsing through her as she clung to me so tightly that I was having difficulty trying to stay above water. I was coughing too, trying to get in a real breath of oxygen.

"Anna!" Parker called from the side of the pool, beckoning me toward her.

I forcibly pushed past people, getting my chest grabbed my some middle aged man I didn't recognize. "Where you going? The parties right here!"

I was close enough to the edge to offer Rosalie up, as she coughed and choked on the water still. Bracing myself against the wall of the pool, I turned around and gave the man a solid punch right in the nose. Both hands covered his already gushing honker and I glared at him.

Some very choice words were said to him and I had a feeling Sophie would not normally approve of, but this time would make an exception. She may have even been saying them herself. Eliot appeared beside Parker and helped me out of the pool. My lips were probably blue and I was shaking violently. Nate and Sophie fought their way toward us. Both of the jackets they had originally been wearing were not off. Sophie wrapped the now sobbing Rose in hers and Nate put his around my shoulders.

No one had to say a word as we moved toward the back gate. We all knew that this would be the last of the parties we attended.

Libby appeared beside me, seeming to have sobered up after the incident. She put her arm over my shoulders and gave me a small, apologetic hug, though I wasn't sure what she was apologizing for.

Hardison was waiting for us as the gate and pushed it open. Just then, Kimmy arrived.

"Where are you going? The parties just about to really take off!" she exclaimed, not even noticing that we were taking her daughter with us.

"Home," Sophie snapped still trying to comfort Rosalie as she hiccupped and coughed against her tears.

"Oh come on, now," Kimmy tried touching Sophie's arm and trying to guide her away from the gate.

Calmly, Sophie handed Rosalie off to Nate and grabbed the woman's wrist on her arm. "Let me be clear," she hissed, taking a step closer to the woman that was probably ten years older than Sophie but was dressed in less clothing than her seventeen year old daughter. "I am taking my family home and if you don't take your hand off of me, I will break every one of your fingers."

Kimmy's hand jerked away as though Sophie was some sort of flame. The woman glanced at me and I gave her false apologetic smile as the rest of the team walked away. "Sorry. She's pregnant."

Libby just wiggled her fingers in a goodbye as she followed us to our vehicles.

Parker glanced at us as we made it our separate vehicles. "This was one of those times that I _could _have stabbed someone with a fork?" she guessed.

The mood was lightened some as Eliot grumbled before yanking the door to his car open. "Parker, we don't stab people with forks!"

Rosalie was transferred back to Sophie and Nate climbed into the passenger seat. We were just going around the block and there was no point in trying to fight Rose into her car seat. Libby and I climbed into the back. My teeth were still chattering as I slumped in my seat.

"This night has sucked. I've been groped, I'm wet, and I really want to crawl into bed," I grumbled as I shivered even with the heat blaring and Nate's jacket around me.

"Sounds like a personal problem," Libby tossed back. She looked about as bad as I did but she still enjoyed her little innuendos. This was a part of her personality that Nate had a bit of trouble dealing with. Mostly because it brought out my dirty mind and before you knew it lines were being crossed everywhere.

"Shut up, Miss 'Bye Ryan, Brian… and the other one!'"

Rosalie's crying had calmed somewhat and I had a feeling that she was already nearly asleep. Sophie's temper had cooled and was gently stroking Rosalie's wet curly hair. I wasn't sure who it was meant to calm.

"Oh, sorry," Libby drug out sarcastically, but didn't hide the smile on her lips. "Not everyone can be Sister Anna who wouldn't even take a drink from the nicest guy at the party."

I glanced at her. "Isn't Jake the one you-"

"Yes."

"You said he was an ass."

"I'm allowed to say that. He's _my _ex."

"Uh-huh."

"Don't be so judgmental Miss Slutty McSlut Slut."

I laughed at her. "Says the Porn Star Nurse."

"Wiggle your nose. Make something happen."

"Still Bewitched…"

"Still a slut."

"Girls…" Sophie warned lightly from the front seat. She knew it was all in good fun, but she and Nate both had probably learned too much about us through the single conversation. We both burst into a round of giggles.

We pulled into our garage and I hopped out of the Escape. We all moved into the kitchen where Sophie immediately put the kettle on the stove. She took Rosalie up to her room to change her while I ran to my own to put on dry clothes.

When we came back, Libby was sitting on the bar stool, sipping hot chocolate while Nate drank whiskey. Sophie hadn't actually put Rosalie in bed like she planned, instead carried her around the kitchen, unwilling to let her go.

She made both of us a cup of decaf tea before we moved into the living room. As usual, I snuggled into my mom and she rested against my dad. Libby took a place in one of the chairs, and pulled the fleece blanket around her.

"You have a really cool family, An," she told me. I didn't have to look up to my parents so see them exchange pleased looks.

"I think so," I reply giving a little smile myself.

Libby sighed and leaned against the back of the couch. We all had our problems, and after tonight, we all understood Libby's just a little bit better. I was lucky to have the family I had. The great parents and goofy siblings that would do anything in the world for me. Tomorrow would probably involve Rosalie getting a new cast, but considering what could have happened, I'd take that any day.

"I'm so sorry I have to say this, Lib, but I really hate your mom," I commented shaking my head. What kind of woman would ignore the fact a toddler nearly drowned in her pool or that her daughter was blatantly leaving her house after drinking?

Libby shrugged. "Nina's my mom as far as I'm concerned. I see my mom like twice a month."

"You're always welcome here, sweetie," Sophie said warmly as she rubbed my arm before glancing up at Nate. "Isn't that right, Nate?"

I swear I could hear Nate groan as he shook his head. "Not another one…"

_**So I'm considering writing a chapter from Rosalie's point of view. Let me know what you think. Also, ready to hit season 5?**_


	85. Lucky Family

_**Lucky Family**_

*Rosalie*

Momma played music when it was just me and her in the house. Daddy and Nana went to Hardison's restaurant. Daddy told me that it was not a place for little girls but Momma will take me by later.

Daddy was always worried about Momma lately and he asked to me to keep an eye on her. I took this job _very_ seriously. When Daddy and Nana were gone it was _my _job to look after Momma and Poppy because I was a big girl.

I asked Momma when I got to meet Poppy and she kept telling me that I could meet Poppy in May. When I told her that I would be _three_ by then, she laughed at me. She really didn't understand how far away that was! Daddy and Momma kept saying things would be different soon. May was _not_ soon. May was far, far away! Like Boston!

Momma just laughs when I try to tell her that, she's silly sometimes.

Nana always says that we're lucky 'cause our momma and daddy loves us very much. That's why we have warm clothes and a doggy and a swing set in the backyard. I didn't understand. I thought all kids had stuff like us.

But I like being lucky.

Momma smiled at me as she continued dancing around the kitchen as I sat on the counter eating the bowl of grapes. She said grapes just sounded good today. She slapped her hands down on either side of me and rested her head against mine.

"I _love _you," she told me as she gave me an Eskimo kiss. That's when she rubs her nose against mine.

I giggle at her and throw my arms around her neck. "I love you, Momma!"

She spun me around and we danced around the kitchen together. She was such a silly Momma. She placed me on the ground and ran her hand through her hair. She kneeled down in front of me and studied me for a long minute. She had big brown eyes like me and her skin was the same too. I didn't understand what Nana meant when she said Momma was not my real momma. We looked alike and she took good care of me. Why wasn't she my real momma?

I took a step toward her and put my hands on her belly. "Poppy still in there, Momma?"

Momma smiled really big. "Yup, and Poppy stopped making me feel sick."

I frowned at my hands on her belly. "Poppy needs to be nice to Momma. Okay Poppy?"

Momma hugged me real tight. "You're such a good girl, Rosalie."

When Momma told me I was good, I always liked it. She carried me on her hip and we kept dancing around the kitchen and the house as she cleaned. Eventually Momma told me I had to take a nap so I could go see Daddy and the rest of the team at the new place.

But when I woke up, I wasn't in the house anymore! Daddy was carrying me around someplace I had never been before. He was talking to everyone else, telling them a bunch of stuff I didn't understand. Anna had to sneak in somewhere through vents and Momma had to pretend to be someone else.

"Do I have to be someone too, Daddy?" I asked sleepily. I wanted to go back to sleep but Daddy tickled me to stay awake.

"Nope. You're staying with Parker until Momma takes you, okay?"

I rubbed my face in Daddy's shirt but he keeps tickling me. "Daddy, stop. I tired."

Someone else took me away and immediately I smelled Momma. She always smelled like flowers. I smiled into her shirt as she played with my curls. Momma always smelled like roses. "Nate, I really don't know. Parker with Rose?" she whispered. I could smell Daddy near too. He always smelled like his spray stuff that he tells me is for boys.

Momma held me tighter and I don't know why, but I was just so sleepy. "Momma, don't go," I whined.

I opened my eyes to see Momma and Daddy looking at each other in that funny way they sometimes do. Nana tell me they talk like that. That sometimes when people love each other like Momma and Daddy they don't have to use words, that their eyes talk for them.

"Sophie, we can't take Rose with us on cons. Parker is capable of watching Rose for a couple of hours," Daddy told Momma and I hugged her tighter.

Momma took a deep breath. "But Parker? Sometimes I don't trust her by herself."

"Soph, you trust Anna with Rose-"

"But I do not trust Anna and Parker alone!"

"_Sophie…_"

"Nate."

"Parker is just as protective as Anna. It's a couple of hours."

_A Couple Hours Later_

Parker tightened the black thingy that was wrapped around my body and snapped something else to the cold metal loop. I stared at her as we stood outside on the roof standing above the big ceiling window. I looked down through the open glass and shook my head violently. "No, I don't wanna, Pawker."

"Come on, Rose. It's fun," Parker told me but I didn't believe her. It was a really long way down.

"No, Pawker. I don't wanna…" I told her again but she just wasn't listening to me.

"We don't have to jump this time… We'll just lower down together," Parker clicked the rope to her belty thing too.

I looked at her. "Really slow?"

Parker gave me a smile that reminded me of how Anna looked when she convinced Daddy to give her something that Momma said no to. I didn't understand why she was looking at me like that, but she wrapped her arms around me and jumped through the window.

She _lied! _

All the air ran out of my body as I clung onto her really tight.

"Parker! What that hell are you doing?" It was Momma's voice. She didn't sound happy.

We stopped and the thingy around my waist hurt my legs and my belly, but I didn't want to let go of Parker. I was so scared.

"I wanna get down, I wanna get down, I wanna get down." I didn't want to cry but I was so scared. I opened my eye and I was high above Momma's head. She looked scared too, but I didn't know why. She wasn't the one who was up high.

"Parker!"

Daddy and Nana came in too. Parker and I were suddenly falling again and I think I screamed a little, but I didn't mean to. Then someone pulled me away, but I didn't want to open my eyes. "Are we down?"

"Momma's got you." I opened my eyes to see Momma looking really mad at Parker and Parker looking really upset. Momma and Daddy didn't yell at Parker but they got real mad. Momma said no more ropes for me. Parker looked really sad and I think that made Momma sad too because she said that she'll make a list of rules, but she knew that Parker would never let me get hurt.

Daddy said he was proud of Momma for keeping her head, but I don't understand how you can lose it. Nana read me a story before Halloween about a man who rode a horse and didn't have a head, but she said that the story was made up. I looked up at Momma and decided I didn't want her to lose her head either.

I asked Daddy to not be mad at Parker because I loved her too. He just smiled and told me he wasn't very good at being mad at Parker just like he wasn't very good at being mad at Nana or Momma. He said he couldn't with Hardison or Eliot either, but sometimes they frus-frus-frustrate him. I don't understand really what that is, but Daddy said it was kinda like when I do a puzzle and I get stuck. I asked if Momma and Nana were like puzzles too and Daddy said that all girls are puzzles. He doesn't make much sense sometimes.

Daddy said that I had to go with Momma to her theatre. She teaches people how to play pretend together. She lets me play too sometimes. Momma makes them do silly stuff. Sometimes her students try to talk to me when she lets them take a break, but they kinda scare me so I stay real close to Momma. But tonight there was a little boy at the theatre too.

"I'm so sorry Ms. Devereaux, my sitter cancelled and my sister was busy," the lady told Momma as I played with Momma's curls. She had pretty hair. It was so dark and soft.

Nana walked in behind a group of people and greeted Momma with a kiss to the cheek before Momma answered. "Of course, Haley. He and Rosalie can play. Anna's helping tonight too, so it'll be alright."

Momma put me down and bent down to introduce me to the boy with really white hair. His eyes were super duper blue, almost like Daddy's or Eliot's and he was a little bigger than me. "Rosalie, this is Nicky."

But I didn't want my momma to leave me. He didn't want to talk to me either. "Rose," Momma said. I knew it was kinda like a warning, but she wouldn't hurt me she would just make me listen.

Momma tapped my lip like she always did when I pouted at her and made me say hi to the little boy. He gave me a funny look. "Your hair is really poofy."

I glared at him. "You're hair is white. Only grammas and gampas have white hair."

I could hear Nana laugh but I was too busy glaring at Nicky to see why she was laughing. "Rose, be nice."

Momma kissed my hair and sat us down infront of the stage and we just stared at each other for a real long time before I took my bag Momma packed for me and placed a puzzle on the ground. "Puzzle?"

He nodded and sat in front of me. Nicky wasn't that bad, for a boy I mean. Daddy always told me that little boys were icky and I didn't need one for a really long time. He says that Nana doesn't need one either but you can't tell her anything.

Momma buckled me into my car seat Nana said she'd lock up but she was going to practice her music at the theatre.

"Momma, how come Daddy says that boys are icky but he's a boy?" I asked as she started the car.

She glanced at me and smiled. "Daddy just doesn't want you to grow up too fast. Like Anna."

I tilted my head. "Nana's a big girl though. Like Momma and Pawker, right?"

Momma glanced at me in the mirror and turned her head. "Not quite. But I don't think Anna knows that all the time either."

I didn't know that I fell asleep but I woke up in my bed and Phantom, our very big puppy, on my floor. The door to my room was open and I was magically in my pajamas. But I didn't want to go to sleep no more. I crawled off my bed and walked toward my door.

Phantom just yawned and got up to follow me. All the lights were off in the hallway but I could see the light in Momma and Daddy's bedroom on. I hurried down the hallway and pushed open the door to see Momma laying on the bed reading her book and Daddy doing the same.

I smiled real big when Daddy looked over the top of his book at me and then I ran real fast toward him and tried to jump on the bed. Daddy helped me onto the bed and I hugged him real tight. "You gunna play pretend again tomorrow? With that bad man?"

He looked at me surprised but I didn't know why. "Well, yes, hopefully tomorrow will be the last day. We've got to help-"

"The big girl with the camera and the teddy bear," I finished for him nodding. "I know. Nicky didn't believe me when I told him my momma and daddy are superheroes."

Momma hummed. "Where have I heard that before…" She raised an eyebrow at Daddy and he smiled at her.

"You know you can't tell people about what we do, Rose," Daddy told me. I frowned and he poked my nose. "Rose, you have to promise."

I sighed and nodded. "Alright, Daddy."

I moved in between Momma and Daddy and looked at Momma. She glanced at me then closed her book. "Yes, baby?"

Rubbing my hands together I curled up against her real close. "Poppy be here soon right?" I asked her as I put my hands on her tummy.

Momma smiled. "Soon enough."

I laid my head on her stomach and she kissed my hair as I closed my eyes. I had a great momma and daddy. They love me a lot and soon I'll have Poppy to play with too. Daddy leaned over and I heard him kiss Momma.

"We're pretty lucky," he whispered to her, their faces real close.

Momma kissed him again. "We're more than lucky."

I didn't understand why everyone says that their lucky. What is lucky? I kept my eyes closed and snuggled deep into Momma's side. Maybe lucky was having each other so we could hug and kiss and take care of each other. Maybe luck was family.

_**If anyone had not tried to write from a child's view, it is not easy. Lol. I hope this wasn't too disappointing. Let me know what you think. I may try again later if this was that awful. **_


	86. Locked Up

_**Locked Up**_

Sophie watched the little girl tremble as she stared at her mother. Poor little thing was sick as a dog and already passed it onto Anna who in turn passed it onto Libby and Parker who passed onto Eliot and Hardison. The others were nearly over it and Rosalie was still not moving past it.

"Nate, she needs to go to the doctor."

She could see the hesitation on Nate's expression. There was no secret that he hated hospitals and with the youngest of the brood being ill, it scared him to death. But Rose was burning up with fever and the Tylenol and cold medicine that cured the others was not helping anymore. Her cough was tight and the color was washed out of her cheeks.

The little body hadn't slept in her own bed in days. Instead curling up to her father or her mother and softly crying, despite the fact she wanted to be a big girl. She apologized over and over again as she cried and that only broke Sophie's heart more. Nate was focusing much too hard on the hockey con and Sophie's heart just wasn't in it even though it hadn't begun yet.

"Anna can run my role, Nate. Rose is _sick_," Sophie tried again as he sat at their kitchen table running through the information.

"Sophie…"

She hated that tone. At times she just wanted to hit him. He had been a parent before and sometimes he thought that gave him the upper hand with the girls. But the thing was, _they were girls_. Not Sam. Anna was a seventeen year old girl who was anything but your traditional teenager (except for her attitude) and Rosalie was a brilliant toddler who was about as laid back as they come.

They were not just his kids, they were their kids. They raised them together. Poppy would be the same way come May and she needed him to understand.

"If I was sick you'd make me go to the doctor and if the baby was sick you wouldn't hesitate," she shot back, her words filled with a hormonal anger. She was done with this passive argument.

"That's different."

"How?"

He glanced at her. Were the girls different? "Do we need to wait until it kills her?" Sophie snapped, immediately regretting her words. Nate looked as though she had physically punched him.

As if on cue, Rosalie started whimpering again from the couch. There was a sincere hope that Sophie's words had not been over heard by the toddler and she was afraid to turn around and see her oldest daughter's expression. It would not have been an approving one.

"She's going to the doctor, Nate," Sophie snapped. "You can be a father and come along, or you can pretend like you're not worried and just sit there."

Anna watched at her parents snapped at each other, not that she could blame either of them. Though, since Sophie had gotten pregnant her temper had gotten considerably worse. Nate had been drinking a fair amount too. They loved each other to a fault, but they loved their children too.

"You don't need me there to hold your hand," he grumbled back.

Sophie gritted her teeth and looked like she wanted to slap him. "You are a royal bastard sometimes, Nathan."

With that, she turned around and walked toward Rosalie. She carried her up the steps, humming comforting tunes to the ill child and stroking her hair. Sophie was done with Nate for now.

"She's right, ya know," Anna shot at him from across the kitchen. "You're acting like you don't care about Rose."

Nate gave her an incredulous look. "You know I do."

Anna held up her hands. "I know. But whatever had crawled up your ass lately, get over it or fix it," she shot at him. "Mom's pregnant, so she gets a pass, but you're acting like you could care less about how sick Rose is." There was a moment of silence as Anna studied his expression and she hated what she saw. "Because she's not as sick as Sam was."

She scoffed at him and slammed the American history novel shut. "Congrats, Dad. You officially are an asshole in my book."

He glared at her. "Anna, you know that's not what I mean."

She gathered her things and moved toward the door. "I don't think you know what you mean. Whatever little rough your going through, finger it out. We can't fix it that Sam's gone, I wish we could, but quit being acting like you don't care about Rosalie."

She moved out the door, slamming it shut behind her. He exhaled through his teeth. Living with three women was going to kill him. Especially when two of those women had the ability to read him like a book. So what if he was acting like an asshole or a bastard. He had the right every now and then. At least he should have.

Sophie knew he hated hospitals, but he should know that Rosalie is a Daddy's girl. She does better when he's around. The moment the go to draw blood or give her a shot, she would call for him. Rosalie loved her mother, but Anna was the momma's girl and Rose went to her daddy.

Why was it so hard for everyone to understand him? They could read him and see what he was feeling, but they couldn't see what he feared.

Groaning again, he stood up and headed up the steps. Sophie was dressing Rose for the trip to the hospital and was obviously still pissed off. He could hear Rosalie's tired and pained voice as he stood just outside the doorway.

"Momma, I sorry I don't feel good," she whined tears rolling down her face as she reached up for her mother to hold her again. "Please don't be mad at me."

Sophie shushed the girl gently as she stroked her hair and held her close. "Oh, darling, I'm not mad at you. You can't help being sick."

The little child continued her soft cries as she buried her face in her mother's hair. The fever was radiating off of her like a furnace. "We're going to take you to the doctor so you can feel better."

The little girl shook her head defiantly. "No, no, no, Momma. I don't wanna get a shot."

Nate couldn't help but smile sadly. She was too bright for her own good. Sophie gently rubbed her back as she pulled Rosalie's bag on her shoulder. The little girl clung tightly onto the pink blanket and Teddy as Sophie carried her from the room.

She was surprised to see Nate waiting on her, offering his aid with carrying either the bag or the girl. Sophie passed him Rosalie and absently rubbed her sore back. Pregnant with a toddler did nothing for her spine.

As she turned to get something from her bedroom, Nate caught her wrist. She looked back at him, her expression was clearly still frustrated and he gave her a look. He rarely apologized for anything, not that she was any better, but he looked her in the eye and ran his thumb over her wrist. He could feel her relax as she resisted an urge to smile and shook her head instead.

"I meant what I said, Nate," she warned as he pulled her closer.

"I know," he told her as she willing went to him now. "That Anna of ours has quite the way with words. I'm an official asshole."

Sophie chuckled as she rested her head on his shoulder with Rosalie between them. And Poppy. She was fifteen weeks along and her bump was beginning to show. Sophie wore the bump with pride and was even more proud that she was still wearing the same clothes. There was an ultrasound scheduled in a couple days to find out the sex of the baby and the doctor's appointment to begin the tests for chromosome and genetic disorders. As exciting as the ultrasound may be, the tests sounded horrifying.

"Well, work off that status by acting like you care a little, Nate," she grumbled, but didn't move. She had one hand resting on Rosalie's back while the other was holding Nate's. It wasn't quite a hug, but it was almost better.

He turned his head a little and kissed her hair.

*Anna*

I walked into the micro-brewery and threw my bag down on the table. "Dad's being an ass," I informed Eliot and Hardison who gave me a questioned look at my obvious anger.

They took this answer with a shrug and a nod. Nothing new. Took a seat on the other side of Hardison who was flipping through hockey facts and watching videos of the team were working with.

Turning my head quickly, I sneezed so hard it hurt. Hardison immediately pulled out my Lysol froggy and squirted it in my face. "Stay away!"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Seriously? I'm just getting over the cold that you've already had. And you spray that thing in my face again I'll-"

Just then Libby walked through the back door of the restaurant and tossed her bag on the table next to mine. Her hair was tousled and her catholic school uniform seemed a bit out of whack. I raised my eyebrow at her. "Who's fantasy did you fulfill today?" I quipped as she pulled the brush out of her bag and tried to drag it through her hair.

"Your mom's," she tossed back immediately. I rolled my eyes. Stupidest come back ever. Slowly her hair was finding its way back to the normal state. "Actually, I had an adventure today."

This caught my attention. "Really? Do tell."

Hardison and Eliot were watching hockey tapes and paid absolutely no attention to us as we went into Nate's office and propped our feet up on the desk. She dug into her bag and pulled out a bag of pretzels which she shared with me.

"So, we were in church today, saying the Rosary like we do every Tuesday and Zach Carlyle leans over and nudges me." For some reason I loved the dramatic way Libby told stories. Her eyes would get wide and she'd use her hands in large motions. This story was no exception. "He looks at me during like, the second decade of the joyful mysteries and says, 'Are you Catholic?'" She give me a long stare like this was a ridiculous question before continuing. "I was like, 'Duh.' And then he leans really close to me and says 'I'd like to see you on your knees.'"

I burst out laughing. "I'll have to share that one with Quinn," I said though my laughter. When she gave me that classic Libby grin I knew the story didn't quite end there. "Oh no, you didn't!"

"Of course I did! And I'll tell you what, I'm going straight to hell for what I did in the confessional. That's one joyful mystery I'll never forget."

Again my laughter could not be contained. Libby was just Libby. And Sophie was glad I had a normal teenage friend. If only she knew.

"Libby Howe, Paving Her Pathway to Hell," I teased. "The title of your high school career."

She shrugged as though this was not news to her. "Oh well. I'm sure I'll have interesting company." Then she sighed as she put a pretzel in her mouth and looked through the glass at Eliot sitting at the bar. "Hell, I've put down a few stones just for the dirty things that I can _imagine _doing to him."

I resisted the urge to gag and roll my eyes. Her little thing for Eliot simply grossed me out. He was like my brother!

"Control your hormones."

Libby grinned, mostly to herself. "They're called _Whore-moans _for a reason."

This time, I had to roll my eyes. "Another brick has been laid."

"Yup. I'm on my way. Maybe we can be cellmates."

I glanced at her. "What makes you think I'm going to hell with you?"

She looked back at me, this times he expression was a little more serious. "I know dark secrets when I seem them, and your family has a whole lot of them."

My stomach dropped as I stared at her. Maybe I didn't give her enough credit. To be honest I actually came to doubt Libby's intelligence, but just then I realized there was more to her than met the eye. I felt a little guilty for underestimating her, but the guilt didn't compare to the worry that I also felt.

Maybe I would have to be a bit more careful from now on.

*Team*

Nate held Rosalie through all the poking and prodding as well as the snot and tears. The poor little thing was burning up with fever and wouldn't hold still for the chest x-ray. Sophie was broken hearted every time the little girl cried for her momma and daddy when the nurses had to take her from Nate's arms.

The expression on Sophie's face killed him. It almost exactly matched Maggie's when Sam was going through all the treatments. Their little girl had pneumonia not cancer, but to Sophie that meant nothing. Her baby girl was sick, uncomfortable and scared and Sophie felt helpless. Her hand was on her stomach nearly the entire time while Nate tried to calm the girl enough so the nurses could put the IV in.

She kicked and screamed and Sophie found herself crying. She immediately felt stupid and tried to wipe her tears way before anyone could see. It was too late though, one of the nurses noticed.

The woman gently patted Sophie's elbow as Sophie stood there with on hand wiping her eyes and the other protectively over her stomach. "It's rough when their sick," nurse, Amy, told Sophie gently. "When I was pregnant, my son went through the same thing. She's just out of a cast too, I see."

Sophie tried to smile at her friendliness, but was failing miserably. She felt like a terrible mother. First Rose's broken arm, now she had pneumonia. Not to mention the crusades with Anna. "Can't seem to get it right…"

Amy frowned seeing Sophie's devastation as they watched the other nurse and Nate try and calm Rosalie. "Honey, she's a kid, these kinds of things happen." Amy noticed the hand over Sophie's belly tighten. "You're doing fine," she assured her, almost wanting to give the woman a hug. "Everyone in here can clearly see how much you care about your daughter. You just feel overwhelmed."

Sophie nodded. Overwhelmed was exactly how she was feeling.

Amy smiled at her. "Is it just Rosalie and the baby on the way, or do you have more?"

Just the thought of how Anna would react to seeing Sophie sopping like she was made her smile. The girl would of course give her a hug, but also through in a comment about how she needed to quit crying. _"Seriously? You're crying because you think you're a bad mom? Ever thought maybe Rose and I just like giving you a run for your money?"_

"Anna, she's seventeen," Sophie let out half a chuckle. "She's the real handful."

Amy gave Sophie's elbow and encouraging squeeze. "You've made it through once already. I'm sure these two will be just fine as well."

Normally Sophie would remind herself that she's only been a mother for a year and she had no idea how to do this, but something stopped her. A year seemed like a lifetime ago. Her daughters were her daughters and there was absolutely no changing that. She knew she could do this.

Sophie turned to the woman. "Thank you."

Amy nodded and gave her a small smile as she and the other nurse left the room. Rose was softly crying herself to sleep as Nate rocked her back and forth. Anyone could see his discomfort about being stuck in the pediatric ward, even if it was just until they got the bag of fluids in Rose.

"Everything is going to be alright," she told him. His eyes shot to hers from somewhere else.

"I know." His words were empty as he stroked Rosalie's hair. "I'm sorry we didn't bring her sooner."

Sophie shrugged. "She's here now, she's going to be alright."

The emotion in the room seemed to kill Nate as he looked at her and glanced down at her stomach. He was scared for Rose, but he was also scared for the baby. They found out the sex of the baby in a matter of days. He secretly worried that if it was a boy, he wouldn't be able to look at the baby like he looked at Rose and Anna. He was afraid he'd see Sam and the pain was just too much for him. Plus the tests. The tests for disorders to diagnose the baby before it was even born.

It was hard enough to take Rose to the hospital in fear of what the doctor would say, but the baby? Poppy, as the whole family had grown to call the tiny being growing inside his love's stomach, was already so loved it felt nearly impossible. Anna's protective instincts coming out not just with Sophie but especially with Rosalie. She had become a big sister first and it showed now more than ever. Sophie was preparing and so eager that if something was wrong with the baby it would kill her.

If anything happened. Anything at all. If something was wrong with their baby Nate would not be able to live with it. He couldn't wake up every morning to see the same pain of Sophie's face he saw on Maggie's and it wouldn't just be one person anymore, his family was larger now. This baby wasn't just his, it was all of theirs in some way.

He didn't think he deserved the love he received from the children that weren't even his blood, but he really didn't think he deserved a child that was half him and half Sophie.

"Nate, darling."

He suddenly realized Sophie was much closer now, touching his face, searching his eyes for the secret he held deep in his mind and heart. "What are you thinking?"

He gave her a false smile as he continued to rock Rose. "Just thinking."

He lied to her because the words from earlier were true. He was a royal bastard and an official asshole all because he was afraid of letting them open the fears locked up in his broken heart and sharing his pain. He was no better than his oldest daughter when it came to hiding his pain and drowning it in whiskey only numbed it for a short time. The problem was, it just wouldn't stay locked up.

_**As you may have guess, Libby is the official comic relief. But I really wanted to touch on Nate's personal fear here and time is passing much faster than it did before. The Blue Line Job will be touched on next chapter as well as more of this. Plus there is this question: How much does Libby know?**_


	87. Black and White

_Have you seen Quinn? –David_

I stared at the message for a long time while Sophie and Vlad spoke to each other about old times. Vlad would affectionately put his stomach on Sophie's bump and it made me oddly angry. More often than not, I found myself glaring at him and wanting him to be sure he understood that Sophie had Nate and he was there for strictly business. So there better not be any attempts at any funny business. Not that Sophie would allow it, but I would still have to kill him for trying.

|Daniel was one of the ranch hands that worked under Quinn. I knew him well enough from going out and riding horses. He was mostly a riding instructor, but he's helped me out a lot with taking care of Portia and Brownie so we had gotten to know each other pretty well.

_No. Why? –Anna_

_He left a couple days ago and he's not answering the phone. I was just checking to see if you heard anything. –David_

I took a deep breath and bit my lower lip. He wouldn't leave. He wouldn't just leave me, not without saying goodbye.

_I'll try. Let me know if you hear from him. –Anna_

Standing up and reaching for my coat, Sophie looked at me. "Where are you going?" she asked glancing at the clock. It was already past ten and it was a school night so she knew I wasn't going to Libby's.

I hesitated and flinched, enough for Sophie to notice something was wrong. "Anna?" She was on her feet looking at me, studying my expression as I tried to think of something to say. "Don't lie to me, young lady," she warned as I avoided eye contact.

Shifting slightly, I glanced up at her. "Don't know yet." It was the honest answer as I tried to remain calm. For a second I nearly asked if she had seen Quinn lately, even though I knew very well that she didn't even know he was back.

Vlad was looking between both of us and I didn't say anything but I didn't move either. Sophie rarely said no to me, but I could tell my answer was not sufficient. "Then you're not going anywhere."

"Mom, please." I looked her square in the eye, trying to get her to understand, but she just raised her eyebrow.

"You can't tell me where you're going, you can stay home with the rest of us," she said simply but sternly.

For a moment I resisted snapping at her. She studied me for a long moment before putting her arms around my shoulders and kissing my forehead and turning back to our house guest. "Vlad, we're going to bed. You know where your room is."

They exchanged pecks on the cheeks and said there pleasantries as I was held close to Sophie. Vlad headed up the steps behind us and Sophie walked with me to my room. Nate had been doing the great dad thing and was walking the hallway trying to calm Rosalie with her illness. Today had been a rough day that just got rougher. Between Poppy not being in the right position to see what color we (as in me most likely) will be painting the nursery and Rose absolutely refusing to get much better my poor parents had a rough day. Though I had noticed that Nate seemed to have moved back into their bedroom so maybe Rose was finally asleep.

Sophie watched me as I entered my bedroom and sat on my bed, waiting for her invasion and to press me into answering her questions. She did come in and shut the door behind me, but instead of pushing, she sat behind me and ran a brush through my long hair.

Sophie had become somewhat different as of late. She was firmer with her parenting, but calmer too. I respected her too much to question in, but I had a funny idea she had been studying up a little more on parenting. Nate remained firm in his belief that parenting was something natural and books and magazines were not going to tell him how to treat and discipline us.

"You know that I can't just let you run wild around Portland, darling," Sophie said calmly running her fingers through my hair to separate it into three sections and starting a braid. "So unless you want to start talking-"

Brushed her hands out of my hair and stood up. "You can't baby me. I'm not a little girl, I'm not Rose."

She raised her eyebrow at me, challenging me. "You are a seventeen year old young lady with the wisdom of an adult, and the skills and intelligence of someone well passed your age. But, you are impulsive and you are far from mature enough to be trusted to make independent decisions."

I glared at her. "So I'm grown up and not all that grown up at the same time. Gee thanks, Mom."

There was a grin on her lips that said something that mocked me. "Oh, Anna, sweetheart, you'll always be my little girl."

She was doing it to tease me, but I smiled at her and took it warmly. I rolled my eyes and shrugged through my smile. "Goodnight, _Mother_."

Sophie stood up and kissed my cheek. "Goodnight, _daughter._ Love you."

I wiggled my fingers at her as she closed the door behind her. Sighing deeply, I headed for my bedroom and turned on the hot water. Tomorrow I would tell them I'm going shopping and take time to try and contact Quinn. I couldn't use my cell phone because Hardison would pick it up immediately so I'd use a computer at the library.

Until then, I was turning on the straight hot water and burning away my concerns for a short period of time. I stripped my clothes off and threw them in my bathroom hamper as I set my iPod on the dock and hit play. The water rippled against my skin as I stepped in and aimed my face up toward the shower head.

It felt good to have the power of just heat jetting down on me. For a moment I found myself thinking back to my mother, my real mother. She would always say that showers washed away the hurt. For the first time in a long time, I felt a sort of warmth at her memory.

I hummed along with the music as I let the water turn my hair in a sleek straightness weighed down by the current rolling off my back. My fingers worked shampoo into my dark locks and the water washed it away. Quinn was fine, I was sure of it. There was this feeling in the bottom of my gut telling me not to worry, yet.

I was about to reach for the conditioner when my shower curtain was ripped back. Out of instinct, I reached for it and tried to pull it around me but somehow managed to pull it off the wall, along with the shower rod, as I slammed into the bottom of the shower.

Suddenly I looked up to see a very amused Quinn staring down at me halfway wrapped in a curtain, with water raining down all over me and my bathroom floor as well as the shower rod. Oh, I was pissed.

"What the hell are you doing?" I snapped in irritation and panic. I had about ten seconds before one of my parents was beating at my door asking me if I was alright. Plus, I just ruined My shower curtain. My final thought was that my shower curtain was sort of transparent. "Give me my towel!"

Quinn just smirked at me as he tossed the towel over to me and politely turned around. "Not like I haven't seen it before, Ann."

For a moment I wanted to say that that was months ago and it was dark. A girl is a little self conscious. Plus it was only once, though I'm not sure if that made it better.

"Anna? You okay?" Nate called, knocking on my bedroom door.

"Fine! Just fell. No biggy…" Until they saw the damage in the morning.

"You sure? You sound… off," Nate called back.

I glared at Quinn as he snickered and I fought to pull my towel around me while wiggling out of the shower curtain. "I'm fine! Promise!"

Nate must have taken that as the truth because there was no other sound from him. Finally, I turned my full attention to Quinn as he helped me from the curtain tangled at my feet. "What are you doing here?" I snapped but didn't let go of his arms that were bracing mine. I missed him like crazy.

He looked down at me with an unreadable expression before letting go of my arms. "Eliot's done a lot to keep people off my back, but I had a-er- run in the other day."

My eyes widened in fear and I took a seat on my toilet lid. "Alright. What happened?"

For some reason he wouldn't meet my eyes. "The threat was dealt with."

Well, that told me everything I needed to know. "You killed him," I clarified slowly. Quinn nodded. "At the ranch?" He hesitated this time but there was another nod. I exhaled harshly and stared at him. "What the hell were you thinking? We don't kill!"

Quinn snapped his eyes to mine. "You don't kill! I do what is needed to keep everyone safe. They knew about you, Anna. They would've gone for you and your family."

"We have Eliot! I'm a fighter! No one would get to us!"

"That was a chance I wasn't going to take!"

"So you killed him?" I was now on my feet, nose to nose with Quinn. We saw situations through very different eyes.

"Anna, _they would have killed you_. You, your pregnant mom, your little sister, your father, everyone before Eliot even had the chance to realize what was going on," Quinn spelled out for me, treating me like I was stupid.

"I need you to quit trying to protect me," I said through gritted teeth. "I don't get involved with murderers."

He glared back into my soul. "Eliot's killed."

I took a step up, strengthening my stance. "I won't dignify that with a response."

Quinn stared at me in disbelief. "I did this to keep you safe."

"Stop trying to save me and just save yourself." If we were at the ranch, this would be the point I would march out and slam the door behind me. But since this was my house and Quinn had snuck in through the window and my parents and Vlad were down the hall, it made things a bit trickier.

"Quit acting like a pestilent child, Anna. I did what I had to do."

"Now what?" I challenged.

"Now I need you to understand that things aren't always as black and white as you'd like to see them." He took a step toward me, closing the distance between us and cupped my cheek in his hand. "If you want me to be different, teach me. But I won't apologize for eliminating a threat."

I shrugged him off, but I could feel my anger melting away. Damn him. He could disarm me pretty well. "Promise me you won't do it again."

Quinn shook his head. "No. I promise you I will never kill unless I have to."

He touched my face again and I could feel my anger faltering. His heart was in the right place. Even though he did something I was told was never acceptable, I was seeing his side. I didn't know if that scared me but it definitely was an uneasy feeling.

"Things were taken care of, that's why I have been gone the last couple of days. But I'd appreciate it if you told the boys at the ranch I had a family emergency. I nodded slowly and stared into his hypnotizing blue orbs. Sometimes it scared me to know how much power he held on me, it scared me how much he trusted me and how much I trusted him. But I loved it.

He let go of me and took a step back. "By the way," he smirked. "Sorry about the shower curtain."

It was at the moment I realized I was standing in a puddle of water and the shower was still on. He left out my bedroom window and I couldn't help but smile and shake my head. He could have at least helped me clean up the mess.

*To be continued*

_**Short chapter, and not a lot to it, but I felt like I needed to post something before you all send out the search and rescue. I apologize for the large gap (especially for me) but I've had some serious changes in RL. I would appreciate prayers to help get through all of this turmoil and I promise to really try and the continuance of this chapter posted in the next couple days. And thank you all who checked up on me. **_


	88. Won't Always Be This Way

Libby walked into the restaurant and sat down across from me with a certain amount of urgency I was unsure of. "So, you wanna tell me why your mom was macking on some big guy yesterday when I walked by?"

I didn't even look up at her, I knew exactly what she was talking about. Instead I just kept writing down the truck order for the restaurant since Hardison said I needed to help with the restaurant too. The day he makes me waitress or cook, I'm killing him.

"That's Vlad. He's a friend of Mom's," I replied with a shrug. "And he macks on her, she just doesn't stop it."

She crossed her arms and leaned back in the chair. "I think she should. I mean, she's your mom and though your parents aren't technically married, I'm sure your dad wouldn't appreciate it."

It amused me that she was so concerned about _my _parents' relationship. "If you would have paid a little more attention, Dad and I were right there. Vlad is just a little handsy. You should have seen Dad's face when he kissed me." I chuckled slightly. "Priceless."

Libby just kept staring at me. "So why is Big Guy in town? And he's definitely slept with your mom, in case you didn't know."

I rolled my eyes, mostly because I did know. That fact was painfully obvious. Still, I tried to ignore the fact Libby was once again revealing she knew a little too much about me and my family. "He's just visiting and helping Dad out some. What were you doing walking by yesterday? That happened at like noon, you should have been in school."

I did not have to look up to know that there was most likely a smug look on Libby's face. "Skipping class, ya know. The classic. Something home schooled brats wouldn't know a thing about."

This time I did look up at her and she just smiled in reply. I rolled my eyes and went back to writing down the order. Libby huffed dramatically and I kept working. I really couldn't wait for the team to get back. Rose was sleeping, but I knew the minute she woke up she would be crying for her momma and daddy. Sick Rose made me dread the arrival of Poppy. I really didn't know how Sophie and Nate handled us sometimes. Not to mention Parker, Hardison and Eliot.

"You're talkative today," she muttered, sinking down into her seat. "Here I thought that you would have some secret mission you'd be working on. Instead you're having house guests and doing restaurant stuff. You're seventeen and you know how to do this stuff?"

She reached out for some of my papers, but I slapped her hand away. "I have a system here."

Libby pursed her lips as she studied me. "What is it exactly that your family does?"

This time I held her gaze. "What do you think we do?"

She kept studying me. "Something that I'm not suppose to know about. You all are a bunch of super geniuses, so what? Some specially bred government spies?"

That one I laughed at. "Oh yes. Definitely."

Libby looked at me for a long time as I went back to work. Payroll was next on my list. Maybe it was a little odd that I was managing this. Most teenagers like Libby were working in fast food or waitressing, not doing books for their brother/uncle's restaurant.

"You guys can't even be real. You have to genetically modified or something. Parker is like a cat when she moves and just the other day I saw Eliot break a punching bag. Your mom can literally talk her way out of anything! Hardison is on the computer like twenty-four seven doing stuff that's all hush-hush. Come on, you guys are something," she insisted as I just rolled my eyes at her again.

"Could we not just be an intelligent group of people?" I countered putting down my pencil and rubbing my eyes. It had been a long day.

She raised her brow at me. "You and your parents do the New York Times crossword puzzle in pen. People only do that in movies! You realize that normal people can't AP History homework without reading the textbook right?"

I sighed and folded my hands in front of me. "Libby," I sighed rubbing my face. "My father is a history buff, there's some things that you just pick up."

She just shook her head. "I don't believe you."

"Well, I'm sorry," I told her with a slight sign of exhaustion on the topic.

Libby kept watching me as I stacked my papers and decided to take a short break while everyone else was working with the hockey con. I could check on Rose and get a run on the treadmill in before the team called and made me do something.

The couch in the back room of the restaurant was currently taken by a snoozing toddler. I felt her head. At least her fever had gone down, but I knew she was still going to be cranky if she woke up before Sophie or Nate got home.

Eliot walked in through the back door and tossed his bag on the floor. Libby immediately gave him a big smile while I shushed him and nodded at Rosalie. He just growled at me, but stayed silent. He was not in the best mood in the world, but it looked like he had a hard time at hockey practice.

Eliot glanced at Libby obviously staring him over. "Yes?" he snapped, not hiding his irritation.

That surprised me. Normally he was tolerant of Libby, a little grouchy but not downright snippy. Libby glanced between the two of us. "Is anyone in your family in a good mood?" she grumbled, yanking out her homework and placing it on the table. It was well after dark, but only seven. She always got out of volleyball late and came straight to the restaurant to do homework since all of us would help here and there.

I glanced up at Eliot. "You okay?" I asked him, tilting my head as he walked over to the fridge to get himself some water.

He took a deep breath and looked at me. I could see that he wasn't. That something had happened and he was really bothered by it. "Fine," he said plainly.

*Team*

Eliot could see that Anna didn't believe him, and truthfully he wasn't in the mood to make her. But it was what Craig Marco had said to him. He didn't care that he could take another his and die, he was doing it for his son.

"_Until you have a family I wouldn't expect you to understand," Marco panted after the slight go around. _

_Eliot looked away. He was right. "I have no family. Not like you mean. But I have brothers. I have a lot of them. I didn't know all their names. But I knew their rank, I knew their faces. I did things, bad things, for good reasons and you know what I learned? Bad choices are bad choices. It doesn't matter why you made them. And they tear you apart. From the inside out. And you don't notice."_

As true as that was, there was more to it. He did have a family. That teenager with too much spunk and the blond thief that hung upside down from the rafters. The toddler at would wrap her arms around his legs and sit on his foot as he worked in the kitchen. The hacker that drove him up a wall and the grifter that sometimes used her skills against them. And the drunk bastard they took orders from. As dysfunctional as it was, it was still their family.

Sophie walked in, brushing her hair out with her fingers and was immediately greeted by a smiling Anna. Eliot watched as the teenager ran to her mother and hugged her. He knew Hardison and Parker were out for a while, but they should be back soon too.

"How's the munchkin?" Nate asked as Anna moved to him to hug him too.

"Sleeping," she replied nodding toward the couch. "She's cranky."

Eliot walked over to the couch and looked at the small child sleeping with her pink blanky and Teddy tucked under her arm. There was color in her cheeks and finally it wasn't from fever. She jumped as the back door to the restaurant slammed followed by the chatter or Hardison and Parker.

"No! You can't just-"

Everyone, even Libby turned toward the door and hissed at them. But it was too late, Rosalie was awake. She started whimpering and Eliot immediately reached out to rub her back, trying coax her back to sleep.

"Daddy?" she called gently, rubbing her eyes as she sat up. Nate immediately went to her and pulled her into his arms. She buried her face in his shirt and clutched on to him tightly. "I don't feel so bad anymore, Daddy. Just a little."

Eliot smiled as he watched the Nate interact with the child. As hateful as Nate could be at times, Rosalie and Anna brought out a certain side of him that he almost wished he had. Being a father came very naturally to Nate, not that he didn't have experience.

Sophie glanced over at the two guilty members of the family. "You are really going to have to start lowering your tone. If you wake the baby when it's born, I think I may kill you."

Anna laughed. She always enjoyed the empty threat of hostility.

Libby glanced up from her place at the table. "Anyone here good at Art History?"

Hardison snorted. "Is that a question?"

She rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I forget that you guys are super geniuses," she muttered. Then she glanced at us suspiciously. "Spies right? You all are actually the CIA? Or like some rogue agency because you started a family?"

Everyone turned to her and blinked. Eliot shook his head. "There's something wrong with you."

Libby huffed dramatically. "No. You guys are way too smart to just own a restaurant that the seventeen year old kid does books on."

Sophie and Nate both turned to Hardison and glared.

"Hey!" He raised his hands in defense. "The girl needs something to do."

Both of the parents stared at him, Sophie crossing her arms over her stomach and raising a challenging eyebrow. "Between martial arts, music, and _work_, Anna does not have to do _your_ restaurant's books too."

Hardison shrugged. "She's good at that stuff."

"Are you paying me?" Anna asked, her eyes squinted, ready to catch him in a lie.

Everyone saw his hesitation. Nate rolled his eyes and Anna glared harder. Still, Nate gave Hardison a look that reminded him that people don't use other people, especially not when it was one of his kids. Hardison groaned. "Minimum wage is what? Seven twenty-five? I'll give ya that an hour?"

Anna stood a little straighter. "Uhh, no. I'm doing management and accounting work. The average pay for a _fast food_ manager without a college education is ten dollars an hour, with benefits. I deserve twelve." Hardison opened his mouth but Anna narrowed her eyes. "Twelve-fifty actually, unless you'd like to actually hire people to do this job."

His mouth closed again and he could feel Sophie's smug grin. She had taught Anna well. Much like her mother, a negotiation was never much of a negotiation with Anna. Eliot couldn't help but also grin as Hardison pulled out his wallet and laid a wad of bills in her hand.

"But you better-"

Anna could have cared less about what he had to say as she turned around and laid one of the bills next to Libby. "That's for letting me borrow your car the other night. Pay back for gas."

Libby smirked and shoved the money in her pocket. Eliot couldn't help but wonder if that wasn't code for something, and by the way Nate and Sophie glanced at her, they were probably suspicious too.

Anna had grown. Not physically really, though her figure had filled out since a year ago. She was looking more nourished and more beautiful by the day and she had become a young woman. Yet, with the line of work they were in that was nearly concerning. The intelligence that played behind her eyes was evident, and she could most likely win any man's heart.

Yet she chose Quinn.

Eliot gritted his teeth at the thought. He had brought Quinn back because watching Anna without Quinn pained him. She'd stare into space for period of time, spinning her wrist watch around and not even caring about anything that surrounded her. Quinn was not the type of person you wanted someone you cared about to care about.

Then again, Anna had a tendency of caring about people the world seemed unjust to.

Libby was a teenager, but one with a story that no one wanted to hear. Anna listened contently to her and never judged. Eliot wondered for a moment if Anna had always been that way or if it was something they, as a team, had a part of. She was the person that hated and loved Jimmy Ford probably as much as Nate. She pointed a gun at him because she felt the need to protect her father, but then she tried to save him from an unfair fate.

Anna looked up at Eliot and met his eyes. She could read the confliction and she tilted her head in worry. He gave her a sort of smile then nodded at her. He was very proud of Anna, no matter what. Sophie caught the interaction and realized it was a good time to change directions.

She moved over and sat down next to Libby. "What do you need help with?"

Sophie easily guided Libby through her chapter of art history as Anna handed over the work she had been doing while Hardison and Parker were out. Nate turned on a movie for Rosalie and held her as she watched it, reading his own book.

Parker and Anna easily teased each other back and forth until Libby finished her homework and joined in. Eliot just watched it all. He may have not had a child, but he had younger siblings and he knew their names and he knew their fears and flaws. Yet he loved them.

Sophie gave him a little nudge with her shoulder as she studied him. "Are you alright?"

He looked down at her slight bump and then back at her glowing face. Pregnancy really suited Sophie. Motherhood suited Sophie. Then again, of course it would. She had been mothering all of them for years.

"Would you kill yourself if you knew that it was the only way to make sure Anna, Rose and the baby would have money to live on? If you didn't have any of us and it was just you?" he asked watching Sophie's face for a reaction.

Her expression stayed soft as she looked across the room at their family. "With what my girls have already been through, they would need me more than they need money. I don't care if we lived on the street, we're family."

Eliot clenched his teeth. That wasn't a good example. Internally he knew that Anna could find a way to get money and she would survive fine without it but she needed a mother more. She was an exceptional case.

Sophie glanced at him. "Eliot, what's the matter?"

He didn't look at her, just kept watching as Anna did a back walkover with ease, followed by Parker mimicking her and Libby looking at both of them like they're crazy. "I just-" he didn't know where to begin.

Sophie just smiled at him, reading through his frustrations. "Just remember that when you're offered money or love, most people choose love." Her eyes twinkled a bit and she turned back to the people in the room. "Even Parker's getting there."

Eliot laughed and shook his head. "You've changed a lot, Soph," he told her giving her appreciative smile.

She returned the smile and shrugged. "I know, but so have you."

Eliot thought about that. He wasn't the same as he was five years ago. He barely recognized that man.

"Eliot!" Anna called suddenly, her smile wide as she pushed her hair out of her face. "Can you teach me how to ice skate?"

He gave her a funny look. "You don't know how to ice skate? You're from Missouri!"

Libby suddenly looked back at Anna. "I thought you said you're from Boston?"

The whole team glanced at each other, except for Anna who just waved her hand in dismissal. "Adopted, remember?"

Libby's cheeks actually may have turned the slightest shade of pink as she shrugged.

A few hours later, Libby left and the team sat in the back of the restaurant preparing for the next part of the con. Rose had woken up and was finally feeling well enough to play so she was on the floor with Phantom and his rope. He never was rough with her when she tried to play with him, he'd just nose her and the toy and occasionally slap his paw down on her leg.

Sophie was leaning against Nate with her head on his shoulder as she hummed a nameless tune and Nate's hand made little circles on her hip. Eliot was icing his wrist and Parker was leaning over Hardison's shoulder as he typed away at the computer.

Anna paced, moving back and forth with her eyes out toward the dark night sky. Sophie watched her as she spun the ring Sophie gave her for her birthday around her finger and sighed deeply.

"What's wrong, sweetie?"

Anna paused and looked over at Sophie, the slight worry that was in her eyes before was now completely masked with feigned ignorance. "Nothing, I'm fine. Are you alright?"

Nate glanced over at Anna. He didn't see the same look of worry in her eye that she held only moments before and was easily fooled by her innocent look now. Sophie frowned and nodded at her not happy that her daughter was so good at avoiding the truth with her.

Sophie and Nate stormed into the back of the restaurant and neither of them looked very pleased. Anna stood up and left Rose with Phantom as she tried to follow along with what the problem was. Vlad was his usual dismissive self and Nate was less than patient with him. They had to change the game plan but thankfully Parker had an idea of how to get the money they needed. Who knew how hand a blow torch and a magnet can be?

Vlad found Sophie and pulled her aside. At one time he had loved this woman. He knew she was not one to get as emotionally involved as he was, but how could someone not fall in love with a woman like herself. She was gentle and kind, but she did not fall in love.

Until now. Vlad saw that. The way she had this partnership with Nate was almost like a dance. They way they worked together not just on cons but raising the two children she claimed as her own. Plus he knew his Sophie would never have the child of a man she didn't love.

Sophie leaned against the railing of the building and smiled at him. "This new partner of yours, you like him?" Vlad asked her.

He watched as she took a deep breath and smiled. There was this lok her eye that said more than her nod did. She loved Nate. She loved him unlike she could have ever loved Vlad. Finally he nodded and smiled. "I like him too." He kept studying her and giving her a kind smile. "Those two girls, they're…" he searched for words.

Sophie decided to help him out. "Ornery? Trouble? Too smart for their own good?"

Vlad laughed. "Maybe, but also charming and beautiful. They're a lot like their mother." He then took a step closer to her and took her face in his hands. "The little one will be truly special."

He gave her a much less passionate peck on the lips before bidding her a farewell and leaving her standing there, pondering his words. Nate appeared in the door way and watched her as she touched her hand to her lips and stared into nothing. Her eyes were red like she was ready to cry.

Slowly he approached her and held her elbow. "Sophie-" he breathed as the suddenly went to him and let him wrap his arms around her. Her held her like that for a moment until she leaned back and looked into his blue orbs. She then claimed his lips in a kiss that was closer to passionate than tender, even nipping at his bottom lip as her hands fisted in his shirt.

"I love you, Nate," she told him was they separated for air, their foreheads resting together as they held each other. "Thank you for everything."

Nate didn't have to ask what exactly everything was, he understood. Thank you for the two girls that changed their life forever. Thank you for the chance at a new life by making her a hero instead of a villain. Thank you for her slightly swollen stomach that was pressing into hers.

"Thank you, Sophie." He'd give it to her all over again. There was nothing he'd change.

By the end of the night, Nate was walking out onto the ice with the ownership of the Otters signed over to the team. Nate almost laughed as Anna's face scrunched in concentration and she stepped out onto the ice in skates. She was so used to getting everything right away that she was having a lot of trouble accepting that ice skating may be something she'll have to practice and learn.

Sophie came out right behind her, skating backward with ease and guiding Rose onto the ice. Eliot was next and then Hardison and Parker. Nate went over to the side lines to put his own skates on and laughed as Anna too her first fall forward onto her hands and knees. She groaned and forcibly got back on her feet.

Eliot watched as Parker helped Hardison who they had to fight to get out on the ice. He barely moved his feet while Parker drug him along. Rosalie was so bundled up she could barely move, but they didn't want to push the fact she was feeling better.

Eliot went over to Anna and offered her his hand. She took, but nearly fell again when she did so. "I don't see how you've never done this before," he told her lightly.

She shrugged. "I've never done a lot of things that people do for fun."

*ANNA*

Eliot tugged on my braid as he smiled at me. "I have a present for you."

I could feel my eyes light up. "What is it?"

He then pointed to the two way mirror up that was the announcers' box and beam. "Hey, Anna's gunna go turn on some music!" he called over his shoulder to the others. I gave him a confused look as he helped me over to the side where I changed into my boots and headed up the steps to the box.

As I opened the door, I smiled a little to myself. "You're convince Eliot to see me now? I liked it better when we just snuck around."

Quinn gave me a crooked smile. "Since winters around the corner, it's not likely that Nate and Sophie will let you head out to the ranch whenever you want."

It was no secret that I wasn't quite done with our last argument, but I really did hate it when we fought. I also really hated it that I could kiss him. Instead, I leaned past him and turned on the radio behind him, making a point of being a little too close to him as he leaned back in his the chair he was sitting in. I knew he could smell my perfume because I could smell him and feel the heat of his body. I tinkered with the stations a little while before settling on a slower tune.

As I leaned back on my heels again and looked at him. He then smiled and stood as well. He then placed his hands on my hips and I crossed my arms behind his neck, swaying a little to the sound of the music that played through the speakers.

"How'd you convince Eliot to let you see me?" I asked him as I rested my head on his chest.

He took a deep breath. "I told him what happened at the barn and the way you reacted to me…taking care of the situation."

I went a little frigid, and I knew he could tell because he started tracing circles on my lower back. "And he approved?"

"He understood."

I completely stopped this time and looked up at him. "I don't understand though. I may never understand."

Quinn put his hand on my cheek and looked me in the eye. His thumb traced my lower lips and I felt it open to him as I sucked in a breath. "I hope you never have to, Anna."

I don't know why, but the tone of his voice told me that he meant that. He was trying to protect me from something. I leaned closer to him and wanted so badly to kiss him, but I knew I shouldn't.

Instead I was on my tiptoes my arms holding us together, my body flush against his as I looked him in the eye. I tilted my head slightly, the urge to kiss him becoming almost undeniably strong. "I don't want to hide you," I whispered, as though this was a secret between us. "I want to walk with you and tell you everything, no matter how stupid or how minute."

Quinn held me even tighter tilting his head forward into my neck, inhaling my scent. I thought his lips would nip at my neck, my temptation being too much for him, but he didn't. Instead he just spoke softly, his hot breath hitting my skin and make me shiver.

"It won't be like this forever."

Tears pricked at my eyes as I looked out the glass to see Sophie and Nate skating on either side of Rose, occasionally sending glances at each other that spoke volumes without uttering a word. The way Parker and Hardison would laugh. The way Eliot looked after them all. It won't be like this forever.

"It won't."

My life was changing by the day. Soon I'll have another baby sibling to look after, my parents will get married, and who knows, maybe Eliot will meet someone, maybe Parker and Hardison will take things to the next level. The future is a funny thing, the smallest things can alter it.

_**Hope this was a satisfying chapter. I'm now working two jobs and going to school full time on top of taking care of a toddler. I really wish I had more time for writing, so I'm not sure how often I'll be able to publish chapters. I'm trying, I swear. Hope you all are still reading. **_


	89. Portland Home

Sophie watched as Anna bounced back and forth, her eyes wide and childlike as she nearly begged her mother to spill the beans. "So?"

Sophie just gave her oldest daughter a coy smile as she continued walking into her kitchen and placing the grocery bags on the counter. Nate was helping Rosalie out of the car seat and Anna threw down her own bags. "So what?"

Anna rolled her eyes dramatically. "_Mom_…" she groaned dragging the word out. "Is it going to be Leo or Layla? Pink or blue?"

Sophie ran her hand on stomach as she felt the baby move again. The little thing was so active today. Nate came in through the kitchen door and immediately smiled at Anna's pleading eyes. "You still haven't told her yet?"

She just kept smiling. "I told her that she had to wait until we got home."

"We're home!" Anna exclaimed as Rose climbed onto the barstool and reached out for one of the bananas in the fruit bowl. Nate set her on the floor and peeled it for her as she also looked up at Sophie expectantly.

"Momma, am I getting a brotha or a sista?" Rose asked taking a bite of her banana and looking up at her mother.

Sophie laughed as Nate looked over both girls' head with a small smile on his lips. He loved watching them. There was nothing more beautiful to him. Sophie reached into her back pocket and laid the two colors for the nursery on the counter. Purple for Layla and a light green for Leo. Anna watched as Sophie teasingly hovered between them.

"I want Poppy to be a brotha!" Rosalie demanded, as she stood on her tip toes to look over the edge of the counter to the two choices. "Green! Green!"

Anna didn't say anything, just kept watching, holding her hands in fists in front of her mouth. Anna was different than Rose to Nate. He loved her. Yes, loved her more than he could openly express, but he almost found himself worrying that he'd love Rose more because he'd get more time with her, but at time he worried that he'd always hold Anna especially close because without her they wouldn't have ever come this far. He had her to thank for all of it.

Suddenly Anna and Rosalie squealed in excitement. "Leo!" Anna exclaimed, scooping Rose up and spinning her around. "We get a brother!"

Sophie glowed as she watched the two girls celebrate. Nate came around behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "Leo," he whispered in her ear.

"Leo, Rosalie and Anna," she sighed lovingly.

Nate loved the way she said it. "Think we're done?" he teased.

Her hand found his and she melted into him more as Anna spread the news around to the others. "Ask me in two years. Let's see how tired we are then."

"I'm already tired."

"Hmm… I'm getting there."

His lips pressed just behind her ear. "Good thing we have help."

There was so many things they'd never get tired of. Being called Momma and Daddy, or when their girls said I love you. Getting kissed goodnight and giving big hugs when their kids need it. There were good things and bad things, but the rewards definitely were worth it all.

Since they had moved to Portland, their lives had separated a bit more since they were in Boston. Eliot actually dated, Parker and Hardison went out on dates, Anna did her own thing with her own friends and Nate and Sophie enjoyed each other's company away from the team. In a way, Portland had already became more their home than Boston ever was.

The fact that this was where they were actually really raising their family made it even more set in stone that they may be here longer than they would have realized.

Anna liked this fact. It felt normal. She knew that she would never be like the other kids on the block, but she was happy to have a taste of normalcy.

Sophie let Anna drive the car, simply because Anna liked driving. Sophie was perfectly capable of driving back and forth to the restaurant but she knew that this was one of those activities that Anna enjoyed because it was normal and it made her feel grown up.

Sophie tried to remind herself that Anna may leave the nest in a couple years, but the idea seemed impossible to grasp. Her Anna will always be her baby.

Tears welled in her eyes at the reminder that she will never get to spend the early years with Anna the way she will with Rosalie and Leo. Just the way those big brown eyes widen in a childlike way when she's wrestling with Eliot or dangling upside-down with Parker. The childish laugh and mischief that comes over her. All Sophie will ever get is glimpses. Photographs and moments that where she can see the girl completely free.

Anna climbed out of the car and pulled her bag better on her shoulder as she headed toward the back door of the restaurant. She paused and looked back at Sophie, her eyes patient, wondering what was holding her up.

Sophie gave her daughter a smile then ran her hand down Anna's long hair. It was a couple inches shorter than usual since she recently got it trimmed, but still much longer than normal and curlier.

Together they walked in with their big dog at their heels. Sophie kept her hand on her daughter's back as they moved through the doorway and took a seat at the counter, ready to do some research.

Anna tossed her backpack of music and scripts on the floor as she collapsed into the seat with a dramatic sigh. "This theatre thing is a lot of work. Do we actually have time for this stuff, Mom?"

"Hobbies, _normal_ hobbies are good for us, Anna. We make time for it."

Anna groaned and flipped through the music in her binder. "What's the point in doing something that I'm not going to do for the rest of my life? I love music, but it's a waste of time. I should be practicing other things…"

Anna had been so focused on their job that it didn't matter about anything else. Sophie knew that when Anna became overly involved with something there was a problem elsewhere. "If all we ever did was work-"

"We'd become Dad?" Anna finished for her with a smirk.

Sophie couldn't help but smile at that too. "Even your father has hobbies."

That evil spark appeared in Anna's eyes. "You've always been one of them right?"

They laughed together. Anna had a point. "You're a little too ornery for your own good, young lady," Sophie teased as Anna shrugged with a bit of a smile on her lips.

Slowly the smile faded as her hands began to absently turn the pages of the binder. It was that eerie emptiness in Anna's eyes when she momentarily let her guard down that bothered Sophie the most. But she was subconsciously asking for help now. Letting her guard down in front of her mother, even indirectly.

Sophie was about to address it when Anna surprised her again. "If Dad would have killed Dubenich would you have still loved him?"

Unsure of where this was going, Sophie leaned back in her chair and sighed. "I don't think you just stop loving someone. I told him I would leave and take you and your sister with me if he did it though." She then turned to look at her daughter. "I meant it to. We do not get involved with murderers."

Anna's face dropped even more. Her expressed turned into a deep, almost ill sadness that took some color from her face. She slowly looked back at her mother in an almost pleading way. "Are there conditions? Is there a gray area?"

If Sophie wasn't concerned before, she most definitely was now. "Anna, what's going on?" It stung a little as Anna looked away and shrugged. The concern burned deeper and Sophie could feel herself going to the worst case scenarios. Did Anna do something? Did something happen?

"Quinn…" Sophie felt herself relax at least slightly as she realized this was not Anna's sin, but a burden placed on her from someone else. "He was attacked at he… he umm…" Her words became a little choked and less sure of them. Suddenly she changed direction. "He said that he had to but-but I don't want to think. Mom, I'm no better. My parents. I shouldn't have let them die."

She wasn't crying. She was showing a strength that seemed beyond her years. "I told Quinn there is always another option but I convince my mother to pull that trigger. In a way, does that not make me worse?"

As Sophie reached out, Anna accepted the comfort. She went to her mother and rested her head on her mother's shoulder. "Anna, they were going to keep hurting you…" Sophie tried to explain. "Sometimes taking a life to save your own…"

Even though Sophie knew Quinn was around, she wasn't pleased with the fact Anna and him were in close contact. She almost feared how close. Perhaps not as close as she was worried due to the fact Anna was coming to her mother for advice, or maybe she just trusted her mother that much.

"I just have so many questions that no one will ever be able to answer for me. About my parents." Sophie took a sharp inhale of breath as her daughter shrugged. Sophie was holding that void open and she didn't even know it until just then. She could answer some of those questions maybe.

Suddenly she chuckled dryly and sat up. "You'll probably be glad when I'm gone. I feel like all I ever do is hurt people."

Gone? What did that mean? "Anna, no," Sophie said firmly, standing up along with her daughter. "If you were gone… I-I don't know what I would do. You know your father and I love you."

There was this look in Anna's eye that would haunt Sophie even years later. It was like there was such an emptiness and a careless expression that it scared her. Anna shrugged and gave a half smile. "That's not what I mean, Mom."

Without another word, Anna moved toward the office with papers in her hand and Phantom following. Maybe Anna was a bit more like her mother than Sophie realized. That look… that smile… that had Missy written all over it.

Eliot walked down the sidewalk, one hand carrying his coffee, the other holding Rosalie's. She was bundled up in a big pink coat with white gloves. He wasn't sure how he got stuck watching the kid, but he wasn't completely complaining by all the times women were stopping him and saying how cute she was. There was a few numbers given to him here and there and he got extra attention when she'd hide behind his leg and watch the women from the safety of her friend.

As they turned into the bakery, one woman looked down at the little girl who asked politely for a cookie. She was maybe twenty-five with long red hair. "Is this your daddy?" she asked sweetly as Rosalie accepted the cookie with a smile.

Rose shook her head. "Nope. This is my Eliot."

He loved the way she said it. It was like this two year old little girl was so sure that Eliot belong to her in a very important and real way. The woman then handed Eliot the loaf of homemade bread that he liked so much and they left together. As he turned over the loaf in his hand he noticed a phone number and the name Shirley written in black sharpie. He smiled to himself. Who knew a toddler could be such gold?

"Eliot?" Rose looked up at him with those big brown eyes.

"Yea kid?"

"Can I get a kitty?"

He nearly laughed at her question, until he looked back down at her with those huge puppy dog eyes. Suddenly he didn't have the heart to laugh. "One that I can cuddle with and pet and play with?"

Eliot frowned. "Can't you just do that with Phantom?"

Rose matched his disapproving expression. "But a kitty cat is softer and they purr."

He couldn't believe that he was actually considering getting her a cat, but he knew better. Nate and Sophie would kill him. They had enough to deal with without adding another mouth to feed. "Rosalie-"

"Eliot…"

He looked down at those big brown eyes. Damn, she was almost too good. "Sorry, kiddo, but I fear the wrath of your mother a lot more than I fear you."

He then opened the door to the micro brewery and was greeted with coos from the waitresses to Rosalie. "Hello Miss Rosalie, how are you today?" Penny, one of the afternoon waitress, asked her as she took another bite of her cookie.

"Good," she told them happily. Then her expression turned a little pouty. "Eliot says that he won't buy me a kitty because he's scared of Momma. Momma's not scary."

Eliot flinched. "You ask your sister, your mom gets scary when she's mad."

The waitresses all laughed together. They had all grown fond of the little girl and her family. Sophie always treated them with respect and even though Parker never really talked to them, she acted friendly enough. Hardison was a "cool" boss and Anna was fun to have around. Nate was polite, but kept everyone at arm's length. Eliot was the one they probably had the most interaction with since he was sometimes in the kitchen working on a new item for the menu.

Rose looked up at Eliot who had suddenly stopped moving and was holding Rose's hand a bit tighter. Penny noticed his pause as well. "Everything alright Mr. Spencer?"

He glanced back at her. "Uh. Yes. Can you tell me how long the man behind me has been here?"

She immediately knew who he was talking about. From the moment the man sitting by the window walked in, she had gotten a strange feeling about him. He only ordered tea and spoke softly and rarely looked up from his paper. That was before Eliot walked in though. Since then, he folded the paper and had been obviously watching Eliot, a smug look on his face. The man was handsome, but he reeked of danger, and not the good kind.

"An hour or so. He's never been here before."

Eliot gave Rose a nudge toward Penny. "Will you take her to the back room to Sophie?" he asked. Penny nodded and accepted Rose's hand. Eliot turned around and took a step toward the man at the window before pausing again. "And Penny," he met her eyes with a certain seriousness. "Tell Sophie that the package from San Lorenzo is here."

Penny nodded, not hiding her confusion as she moved past the other waitresses. She held Rose's hand as she pushed open the glass doors to find Sophie pulling a bottled water out of the fridge before she turned and greeted the young waitress with a pleasant hello and a smile. "Eliot asked me to bring Rose to you," Penny said not hiding her confused tone.

Sophie became a little nervous when Rose ran to her side and peered at Penny from behind her leg. "Is everything alright?"

"I-I don't know. Eliot told me to tell you that a package from San Lorenzo is here?"

Penny watched as Sophie continued to stare back at Penny, her concern masked with a neutral expression as she nodded. "Alright. Thank you, Penny."

Accepting Sophie's calmness as a sign she should not be concerned, she moved back toward the restaurant.

Sophie waited until the door was completely closed before snatching Rose up and hurrying over to Nate's office where Anna was reading silently. She moved through the door and grabbed Anna's hand. The fear on Sophie's face scared Anna and she was on her feet in a second.

"Mom, what going on?" she asked, her voice shaking as Sophie checked the window and then locked it too. She went over to the key pad on the wall for the security system that Hardison had put in and activated it for only the back part of the restaurant. Anna got even more nervous when Sophie pulled her up the stairs into one of the bedrooms without a glass door and one large window. She closed the blinds. "Mom?" she tried again, suddenly wrapping her hands around her mother's wrist and looking at her with fearful eyes. "You're scaring me, Mom."

Anna didn't scare easy and now she was looking at her mother prepared for the worst. Sophie pulled her closer and took a deep breath. Anything from San Lorenzo needed to stay in San Lorenzo. If Moreau knew about Rosalie or was able to get anywhere near Anna, she could lose her children.

"I know, sweetie. I'll explain everything, but I need to call your father." Sophie placed Rose in her sister's arms but noticed Anna didn't let go of her mother's wrist. She took a seat on the bed that was against the wall and pulled Anna into her side. Rose looked nervous as well. Just as she took out her phone to call Nate, Nate called her.

"_I just got a text from Eliot. Where are you?"_ Nate demanded, the concern in his voice was evident and it did not make Sophie feel any better.

"We're in one of the crash pads in the restaurant. I have both girls with me. Where are Parker and Hardison?" Sophie asked as Rosalie began to whimper, sensing something was very wrong. Sophie shushed her gently and held both girls even tighter against her.

"_Hardison is with me, Parker is on her way back too." _Nate took a deep breath and held it for a moment. Sophie knew what he was going to say.

"Nate…"

"_Take the girls and get out of there. Moreau only knows about Anna, if he sees Rosalie or you… Sophie, you know he'll take the opportunity to hurt us in the most severe way."_

Anna looked up at her mother. "Momma?" Rosalie asked softly through her silent tears. Sophie knew that Nate was right. She had to keep her children safe.

"Where do we go, Nate?"

He hesitated. _"We're going to need help." _

"What are we going to do Nate?" Sophie asked him as she glanced through the blinds to see Nate's car pull into the ally.

"_We're going to fight."_

Portland had just became home, Leo was getting closer to coming into the world, and their lives were getting so close to have some normalcy. Something always has to screw it all up. San Lorenzo.

_**To be continued!**_

_**So, is it really Moreau or is it someone else from San Lorenzo there for help or maybe a message? Did Moreau himself come to warn the team about something? And how about that little baby Leo Ford on the way? Lots to come! **_


	90. Moreau

_**Anyone still out there? **_

Eliot sat across the table, staring at the familiar face that was left in San Lorenzo. He wanted to get down to business or maybe he just wanted to kill him, take care of it quickly. There was no point in playing around, Eliot knew his team was in danger and the sooner he could assess the situation, the sooner he could get his team to safety.

"Cute little girl, Spencer," Moreau mused, taking a sip of his tea with a small smile pressing at his lips. "Not yours though. Most likely Mr. Ford's by the way you act toward the child." The tea was lowered to the table but not let go of. "It's almost as though you show the child the same respect you show her father."

Eliot set his jaw. The children were going to be left out of this. Anna was at an age where she could probably take care of herself with most things, but when men like Moreau were involved, he felt as protective as Sophie.

Moreau chuckled as he absently stirred his tea. "Now, now Spencer. You're showing your weakness all over your face. You should know better. I taught you better."

Eliot snarled at him. "What do you want, Moreau? You better talk fast before I send you to hell with the rest of your friends."

A cruel smile graced his lips and split to see his perfectly white teeth. "You're not stupid. You know why I'm here. There's this funny little word called revenge." Moreau held up his hand up and reached into his briefcase on the floor. He removed a manila envelope and placed it on the table before sliding it over to Eliot.

Opening the folder, Eliot went a little stiff. There were images of all of them since they arrived in Portland. Eliot in the restaurant kitchen, Parker eating a large pretzel on the sidewalk, Hardison carrying a bag of orange soda. Nate holding Rosalie while Sophie's leans past her to kiss him goodnight. Anna sitting in her bay window.

"You know how easy it would be to just post a sniper and-" Moreau made a clicking sound with his tongue. "Pretty little girl, a young woman who has no idea how beautiful she is," he chuckled and shrugged, "I can't believe you thought it was okay to bring children into our game. But I'll tell you what, that Anna is not quite a child is she?"

Eliot leaned closer over the table. "Don't threaten my family," he hissed through his teeth.

"Isn't Sophie a bit… older to be expecting?" he continued, unfazed my Eliot's outrage. "Such a beautiful woman. I'd hate to see her try and raise three kids on her own. Nate battling alcoholism and all. Or poor Nate losing his entire family in some accident. He'd drink himself to death, right? Parker is always taking those crazy risks, jumping off of buildings, something could easily snap. You, ha, you'd be easy. Hardison would never even see it coming."

Eliot gritted his teeth as Moreau took another sip of tea. "How much would all of you squirm when I make Anna beg for death and that sweet, sweet toddler wet herself in fear?"

The table was turned over and Eliot had Moreau by the throat. "I should kill you right now," Eliot hissed, not caring that everyone in the restaurant was staring at them.

"You think killing me will stop it?" he asked pushing Eliot off of him. They both were sure to keep their voices down. "You are mine now. Think of the absolute worst thing you've ever done and that may be the kindest fate for your team."

Moreau picked up his brief case from the floor and glared at Eliot. "You asked for this." For a long moment he just looked at Eliot. "I'm not going to hurt you all, yet. The only person I'll talk to is the Moretti girl. She knows what to do."

Eliot just stared at him before glancing toward the back room where Sophie had undoubtedly taken the girls to the safest place in the building. Nate was not going to like that Moreau wanted to deal directly with was Anna.

The tires of Nate's Explorer came to a grinding halt and he jumped out of the car. Parker and Hardison were already heading back to the Ford home to set up security and safety precautions. Nate didn't want to wait until Eliot got his family there, Nate needed to check on them now.

As soon as he walked into the backroom, bypassing security with the tap of his finger, he threw open the door to reveal Sophie looking more than a bit distressed. Anna's eyes were searching for answers the moment he pushed open the door. She stayed back as Sophie went toward him, Rosalie still tight in her arms. He touched her face and looked at her, trying to get through to her that nothing bad is going to happen, but she knew better. Sophie could read Nate like a book and everything she saw made her want to hide the girls away.

"Why won't anyone tell me what's going on?" Anna demanded, her worry turning to frustration as she stared at her parents.

Nate reached into his pocket. "Take my car and go straight home, no detours. We'll explain when we get there."

Anna accepted the keys but didn't more. She wasn't sure if she wanted to obey. She needed to know the severity of the situation. Nate gave Anna a hard look, but before he could say anything, Eliot barged in. "Anna, you're with me," he demanded making Sophie only dread the news even more.

Anna stomped her foot. "I'm not going anywhere until someone tell me what the hell is going on!"

Eliot grabbed her by both forearms and held her gaze. "Anna, you need to shut up and trust us."

"What's going on?" Anna demanded again. Eliot could see she was just scared and as usual she was reacting almost like an animal in a corner.

"Anna…"

Sophie moved in toward her daughter. Anna immediately calmed, proving that even the widest animals can be tamed by someone with a gentle tone and a loving touch. Despite her own pounding heart, Sophie reached out and touched Anna's hair. "Let's get home and everything will be explained there, sweetie."

Anna looked at Sophie, the wheels in her head still turning but accepting Sophie's judgment. Eliot watched as the family climbed into the explorer. Eliot would follow close behind, but first he needed to make a call.

Quinn sat in his living room and closed his eyes. It had been a long day at the ranch and if he had to deal with that pain in the ass horse of Anna's again this week he was going to tell her that some horses just aren't worth it.

He kicked off his boots and laid across the couch. He took his reading glasses off and rubbed his fingers down the bridge of his nose and exhaled. Mentally he was adding up the chances of him catching a power nap, but he realize his mind was not ready to slow down like his body was.

Just as he was about to close his eyes and attempt it, his phone buzzed.

He groaned and absently slapped at his coffee table, searching for the disturbance that continued its vibrations. Finally, he found it. Without checking the caller ID he answered it.

"What?" he yawned, expecting it to be one of the ranch hands having problems with Portia again.

"_You want to protect, Anna?"_

Quinn sat up at the sound of Eliot's voice. Was that even a question? "What's going on?" Quinn was already grabbing for his boots. Something with Anna always had him grabbing for his shoes and heading out the door.

There was hesitation on the other end as Quinn hurried up and grabbed his keys off the counter. Mentally he remembered that he could use a shower and a change of clothes. On his way toward the door he scooped up the overnight bag he kept packed and ready for emergencies.

"_Quinn, Moreau is back. He wants to do business through Anna." _

Quinn didn't like that sound of that. Moreau was a very bad guy and the team had done a hell of a job keeping him in San Lorenzo as long as they did, but men like Moreau didn't stay gone. Their empire was built on generations of blackmail and power. What did Anna mean to him?

"You told him hell no, right?" Quinn was already in his truck, slamming the door and forcing it into drive.

"_Quinn…"_

He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his dirty blond hair. "Be there in ten."

*Anna*

Moreau wanted to talk to me? I blinked at Eliot filled everyone in on the situation. Why me? I mean, I wasn't nearly as important as Nate but I was fiercely loyal. If he was requesting me just to get under everyone else's skin, it was working. Sophie was sitting on the floor with her back against the couch, absently playing with Rosalie as Nate paced back and forth trying to come up with a plan.

"Eliot, you're with Anna, do not let her out of your sight," Nate demanded as I stared blankly across the room. It was darker than usual. The curtains had been closed and we didn't have any of the overhead lights on. Just a lamp light beside the couch.

Parker kept looking over all the information from San Lorenzo. What they could have missed. How it was possible for Moreau to escape from the small country. How we were the last ones to know. He couldn't have been out long, people would have contacted us. There's no way he pulled them over to his side.

Help. Who would help Moreau and know where they were without searching too terribly hard? I knew Moreau. He was like an uncle growing up, or a wealth cousin that my father also felt the need to kiss his ass. He used to call me something… what was it? It had something to do with my deft hands and watching eyes. Some type of animal. Wolf? No… Fox. Little Lady Fox. He never even called me Anna, honestly I didn't think he knew my name.

He always told my father I had potential for more than just being a mule, but my father needed me for business. They discussed prices for me. How much it would take to get my father to hand me over to Moreau. Dad was really considering it when I ran away. Hell, maybe I would've met Eliot before, or maybe I would be in a much worse situation. The point is, I knew more about the personal side of Moreau than the team and he knew me…

"Sophie and Rosalie will be with me, Parker and Hardison will not take any unnecessary risks. We need to-"

"What exactly did Moreau say to you?"

The words came out of my mouth in mid thought. Everyone turned and looked at me and I finally realized that it was the first words I said since the team started discussing who we were dealing with. Nate looked at me, then back to Eliot, waiting for his answer.

"He said that you'd know what to do," Eliot said plainly, studying my face. I gave nothing away.

"Huh," I said simply as though it sounded odd to me, but I did know what to do. I completely understood what Moreau message to me was.

Nate kept looking at me, but I didn't return the gaze. Instead I shrugged. It was pointless to convince them that I could do this, I could meet with Moreau, because I knew Moreau.

"No, Anna, absolutely not," Sophie snapped reading through me. "Tell us what you know, _now._"

I gave her the best look of innocence I could muster up but Sophie just raised her brow at me. Still, I refused to give in.

"All I know about Moreau is his business and he's the person you call if you need something done," I lied through my teeth. Sophie glared at me and I snapped my fingers for Phantom. He stretched and trotted over to my side as I stood up. "Well, let me know what the plan is."

"Anna Devereaux Ford, sit down," Nate commanded as I reached the stairs. Phantom immediately took a seat and looked up at Nate while I closed my eyes and tried to think.

"You could just let me go," I mumbled as though that would keep them from hearing me. "You guys are so stupid sometimes."

I turned around and glared at Nate. "Moreau's career began with smuggling. Hmm. Sound familiar? His career is ruined. You did that, so he has to have help with someone that is desperate and-" the light bulb came on in my head, and I stopped speaking. I covered my mouth with my hand as I smiled to myself. This could very well be the most brilliant thing that has ever come to-

"Anna?" Nate pulled me from my thoughts as I began to laugh. It was just a chuckle that escalated into something nearly sinister as I realized the mastermind behind this plan. And they were no mastermind at all.

"Moreau's bluffing," I replied simply, shrugging almost as I headed back toward the steps. "I can handle this."

*TEAM*

They could only watch as Anna continued her laugh as she disappeared up the steps with her large dog at her heels.

"Someone wanna tell me what the hell's the matter with that girl?" Hardison asked as Sophie and Nate both exchanged looks.

"Does she not realize what we're up against? That Moreau-"

Nate cut Parker off. "We need to find out what she knows. We made sure to destroy Moreau's business so Anna may have a point, but we can't be sure who's helping her."

Sophie kept quiet as Rose pulled on her hand trying to get her attention. "Momma?"

She didn't reply, just pulled Rose into her arms and held her. "Eliot-?" Sophie began but he already knew what she was going to say.

"Don't worry, I made sure she's not going anywhere," he replied.

*Anna*

I commanded Phantom to sit as I opened my window. The air was cold, but I didn't care. I had to talk to him. Either he was really that stupid or he was a whole lot smarter than I gave him credit for. Considering who I was talking about, I was going to go with stupid.

I grabbed my bag and reached out to the tree branch closest to my window. The bag slid onto my shoulder as I braced my foot on another branch and stepped out.

"You know-" I suddenly lost my footing and yelped from the shock of being discovered. I nearly fell out of the tree as I glared down at Quinn leaning against the trunk. "-you're really predictable."

I braced myself before taking the seven foot leap. When I landed, I crossed my arms and huffed. "Eliot is making you babysit me?"

Quinn cringed. "When you put it like that it just sounds bad. I prefer to think of myself as the handsome guy that makes sure you don't do anything stupid."

I raised my eyebrow at him as he walked toward me. "Now come on, back inside."

"Come on, Quinn, quit it. Just come with me," I tried to reason with him. "I'll tell you what I'm doing on the way."

Quinn just stared at me. "You really aren't going to make this easy are you?" He sighed as I shook my head. "Well, fine."

He moved toward me and suddenly threw my over his shoulder. I yelped in surprise as he started moving toward the front yard. "Quinn! Put me down!"

*Team*

Eliot smirked as Anna's irritated commands broke the silence.

"Dammit, Quinn! I'm going to kill you!"

Sophie shook her head as she took a deep breath. "Well, she's going to be a little ticked off."

The door opened and Quinn tossed her onto the couch and crossed him arms. Anna's face was red with irritation (and most likely a little bit of embarrassment as well) as she stood up. She glared at Quinn and pushed him away from her.

"You're an ass, you know that?" she grumbled.

Nate rubbed his forehead. "We should really consider cutting that tree down," he said mostly to himself, but it didn't keep Sophie from nodding in agreement. "Anna, spill it. Now."

Anna glared at him. She glared at all of them before taking a deep breath. "Moreau was a friend of my father's and I'm willing to bet my cello that the mastermind behind this plan is not so brilliant, but Cory. He probably doesn't even realize what he's gotten himself into."

Rosalie looked up at her sister. "Cory comin' to take me 'way?" she asked holding onto Sophie tighter. "No, no! I wanna stay wif momma and daddy."

Parker crossed her arms. "What do you think he's trying to do then?"

"He was in a rough spot when he dropped Rose off with me, I would say he's trying to build an empire. And he's stupid enough to bail Moreau out to help him," Anna continued.

Hardison shook his head and whistled. "Was that kid born with a brain at all?"

"Right now it doesn't matter," Nate instructed. He scratched his head as he thought. "Alright. Anna, you're taking lead, but you are going nowhere without backup. I don't care what you have to do, just get Cory and Moreau in a tiny prison in San Lorenzo." Nate honestly hoped they had to share a toilet for the rest of their lives. How stupid could one kid be?

Nate walked into the kitchen and poured himself a drink. Anna followed close behind him. "Uhh, I don't think I can take full lead on this, Dad," she told him taking the barstool next to him. "I was just going to find Cory and talk to him…"

"Anna…"

"I don't want him to get hurt, I don't think he's meaning to hurt us…"

"…Anna…"

"…Really. He's not bad, maybe. I don't know…"

Nate put down his whisky and looked up at Anna. "You're mother and father were _bad _people, Anna. You got away from them when you were fourteen. You're brother was raised to be just like them."

Anna's brow furrowed. "But he wanted what's best for Rose. That's why he gave her-"

"To a sixteen year old girl?" Nate finished for her. He took a deep breath and took another sip of his liquor. "Anna, you and I both know that you want to see the best in the people you love, but your real family is not good people."

He might as well have slapped her. Parker watched as Anna slowly nodded. "Well, your father was a drunken bastard, but he still cared. You're a drunken bastard and you still love me." Nate raised his eyebrow at her. "Can we save Cory?"

Nate took a deep breath. "Anna…"

"Daddy…"

He looked over to see Anna's big brown eyes widened and child like. "Maybe it would be best for you to stay out of this after all."

"No!" she commanded. "You need me in this."

"Then you're not taking lead anymore. You're going to follow my directions."

Anna looked hesitant. "We're not going to hurt him, are we?"

Nate wanted to shake some sense into her. This boy dragged her off "The North Pole" stage almost a year ago. This boy didn't stop her parents from nearly killing her when she was a child or several months back. Cory deserved whatever Moreau or anyone else did to him. He was so damn ignorant.

Nate looked her square in the eye. "If Cory tries to hurt you, your mom, or your sister, I'll kill him. I'm not lying to you. He even thinks about it and he and Moreau will be buried in a shallow grave. I don't care if he's your brother or not, no one's going to hurt my family."

Anna stared at Nate, almost unable to comprehend his monotone voice with threatening words and dead eyes. She was stunned and numb.

"Okay," she muttered finally. "What are we going to do?"

_**Some super fun Anna/Quinn moments coming up and is everything as black and white as Nate and Anna are seeing it? Is Cory really just so stupid and desperate he went to Moreau for help? Maybe, maybe not. Hope to update soon and I hope you all are still reading! **_


	91. The Enemy of My Enemy

Anna held onto Phantom tightly as Nate laid out the plans. Anna still took lead, well, was going to. Anna told them what she knew about Moreau. How her father was just a peer of Moreau, and how her father feared and respected Moreau. He always like Anna because she was smart and skilled, the reason everyone liked her.

Anna stood up and tightened the laces on her knee high boots. Sophie didn't like this, even with Parker and Eliot a block away and Quinn only yards. Phantom was going to be on a leash right next to her, but something didn't sit well with Sophie and baby Leo was definitely reacting to it too.

Nate glanced over at Sophie as she put one hand to her head and rested the other over her stomach. She looked a bit pale to him, but he waited until everyone was out the door before going over to her and kneeling in front of her. He rubbed his hands up and down her thighs as Rosalie seemed preoccupied with her coloring book.

"Hey," he said softly to her as she took a deep breath. "You okay?"

Sophie took a deep breath and nodded. "A little stressed, that's all."

For a moment, Nate considered it would be best if they all spent time away from work. As much as he was a workaholic, Sophie and the baby were more important. He knew Sophie would want to go back to working when Leo was born, but until then she could do without the stress.

"I'm fine Nate, really," Sophie assured him, cupping his face and kissing his lips. "But when do I get a wedding band to go with this engagement ring?"

It was meant to lighten the mood, and she succeeded. Nate laughed lightly and leaned in to kiss her again. "Whenever you want."

She smiled against his lips. "That's what I like to hear."

He laughed at her. "Here we are, getting thrown into a mess with Moreau and you're wondering when you're getting your wedding band?"

Sophie shrugged. "It's jewelry. I like jewelry."

"_I'm moving into place," _Anna's voice came over the com. Sophie nodded at Nate as they both went back to business.

"Alright, keep your eyes open," Nate commanded. "Pay attention and don't be stupid."

*Anna*

I rolled me eyes and walked around the block to Fox Drive. "Gee, thanks Dad." There was a sports bar just down a little ways and it had Cory written all over it. As I got closer to it, I saw the familiar build of my brother sitting on a bench with a sports magazine.

"I figured you'd bring the pit-bull," he said, not even looking at me. "What's its name? I think you call it Eliot."

As much as I knew I shouldn't, I smiled at his familiar humor. "He's pretty ferocious, but he's got a cuddly side when you're not threatening his family."

Cory closed the magazine. His face looked older and his eyes looked even more like Daddy's, but I pretended I didn't notice. I swallowed hard as he leveled his gaze at me. "Well, I needed a way to get your attention."

"And bringing in someone who will try and kill my family is a good idea?" I countered, the anger barely registering in my voice.

"Damien and I simply share a common interest," Cory shrugged.

"Moreau made a point to _threaten us_, it that your common interest?" I snapped, not hiding it this time.

"_Anna, stay calm,"_ Nate commanded over the earbud. I wanted to tell him that I didn't have to stay calm, and he would be damn well pissed off too if he was me. Plus this was _my _brother.

"You know, for being the smart one, you sure are stupid," Cory said almost sadly, making my blood boil even more. Absently he reached down to pet Phantom who instead snapped at his hand. Did I mention I love this dog?

*Team*

Nate watched the traffic cameras that showed Anna's position. Her hair twisted in a fishtail braid down her back made him nervous. It was too easy for someone to grab. Plus she wore boots instead of her running shoes. Classic Nate, worrying a little too much.

Sophie wasn't much better. She watched as Phantom paced back and forth between Anna and Cory, ready to protect his master.

"_You know, for being the smart one, you sure are stupid."_

Anna snorted at him. _"I'd hate to say what that makes you."_

Both of her parents smirked. Such a smart ass, but her quick wit was always fun to watch.

Rose was halfway sucking her thumb as she too watched the screen. She immediately recognized her big brother and sister. Cory looked different to her. She missed him like she missed other things from before, but she didn't want them back. She loved her momma and daddy and her sister. She loved her Eliot, Parker and Hardison too.

"_How's little Suzie?" _

Rose's lip immediately puckered as she wrapped her arms around her legs.

Anna shot him a hellish look. _"Suzie? I don't know who you're talking about."_

"_Suzanna? Your little sister?"_

Rose's eyes welled with tears as she shook her head. "No-no," she whined. Sophie glanced back at her and noticed the sudden distress she was in.

"Rose?" Sophie said softly, moving toward the little girl who was softly crying. Rosalie climbed into her mother's lap. "I don't wanna be Suzie no more."

Sophie held the little girl against her chest and met Nate's eye. He shook his head. What the hell did those people put these girls though?

*ANNA*

I gritted my teeth. "Her name is Rosalie."

"Rosalie. That's a far cry from Suzanna, but I didn't want to tell you just how much Mom and Dad were trying to replace you," Cory shrugged and looked me square in the eye. "I really was just trying to protect you. Both of you."

"So what are you doing now?" I pressed. "You handed Rose over to me and told me we had people to take care of us, now you're trying to hurt those people! Tell me how that makes an ounce of sense."

Cory stood up even though Phantom was growling. "Walk with me."

I didn't move. Just stared at him, resisting the urge to glance back to see how close Quinn was. Cory rolled his eyes at me. "Get over yourself, Anna. If it wasn't for me, you'd be dead a long time ago. You owe me your life."

"I owe you nothing," I hissed back.

He gave me a smirk. "At the very least, you owe me a favor. After all, I gave little _Rose_ a chance at a real life. Hate to see what would happen if she was raised by wolves."

"Still have better table manners than you. I mean, you can't teach an old dog new tricks."

"_Anna, I understand he walks into them, but please stop pissing him off," _Hardison said over the com. I wanted to tell him that this is the only way I know how to talk to Cory, but I decided against it.

Cory watched me as I took step in the opposite direction of Quinn. I knew that he was testing me, seeing if I was going to get a few paces ahead and bolt or sick Phantom on him. Instead I stopped after a couple of steps.

"You're the one that wanted to walk."

He glared before pushed past me and taking my elbow. He half dragged me into an ally for privacy. Apparently he did a fairly good job because Hardison started cussing about losing a visual. Cory gave me a harsh push into the wall which sent Phantom lunging and growling as I grunted.

"_Anna, what's happening?" _

"_I can't follow her without giving myself away-"_

"_Give me a sec, I'm trying to get to the roof."_

Nate, Quinn and Parker were all talking at once and I was ready to scream at them to shut up. I jerked on Phantom's leash. "Heel, boy," I commanded. Slowly he backed down, still snarling at him as I tied the leash to a pipe next to me.

Cory still stood a foot taller than me but, I didn't care. I wasn't the least bit afraid of him. I could take him out if I needed to. I was faster than him and I was trained by Eliot Spencer and my boyfriend is an ex-assassin. Seriously. Cory, my big brother, not scared.

"What do you want from me?" I snapped at him. "What the hell do you want?"

"I want you to help us," Cory said as though it was obvious.

My eyes narrowed. "That's the difference between you and me. I choose family."

"I'm your blood! We were raised together!" Cory laughed at me. "We're family, not these people. They use you because you are a skilled thief. Stop stealing and see where you end up. Probably dropped off somewhere."

I shook my head. "You handed me a toddler and said good luck! You are not my family. They're my family. I have a mom and dad now. Brothers and sisters. What do you have?" I snapped at him. "Our parents, the people whose DNA is inside us, the people who made us steal and fight and do bad things, they're dead. You have no one."

He shook his head. "You made sure of that didn't you? I have opportunity. I have power!" Cory raised his hands taking a step toward me. "I used everything I had left, every resource, every favor to get Moreau out of that God forsaken country. He can get what he wants. He has power."

"No. You both are at rock bottom. You have nothing. You are out of options."

Cory shook his head. "You're wrong Anna. I have something to share with you. 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.' How many enemies does that family of yours have?" He took a step toward me. "Nathan Ford, Sophie Devereaux, Eliot Spencer, Alec Hardison, and Parker. Moreau is a very smart man and knows how to get allies. How easy is it to contact all those powerful people they pissed off?"

I set my jaw as he placed a hand on my shoulder. "Now, are you my friend Anna, or my enemy? Huh sis?"

I pushed his hand off me. "You know, blood is thicker than water, but I need water to live. Who would have thought the enemy of my family would be my brother?"

Cory shook his head. "You know, I kind of expected that. That's why I brought you something." He reached into his pocket and offered me a folded picture. "Think that mother of yours really cares about you?"

I snatched the picture out of his hands and glared at him as I unfolded it. My stomach churned as I glared down at the image. I felt like I was going to lose my lunch and my knees would buckle under me, but I gave nothing more than my anger away. "You think I didn't already know about this? She's my mom."

I glanced back up at Cory. He wasn't expecting that. "I hope you know what you're doing Anna. You've picked the wrong side of this war."

All I could do was laugh. "War? It's two idiots with damaged egos that are against us. Why should we be worried?"

"Because the we're still rallying troops."

Cory shoved his shoulder into my side as he moved out of the ally. I stood completely still, the picture in my hand gripped so tightly I knew I was damaging it.

"_Anna, get home, we're going to-"_

I ripped out my earbud and threw it to the ground, stomping the toe of my boot on it as I untied Phantom. I ripped the batter out of my Smartphone and stuffed it back in my pocket. How could she? It was a lie. This all was a bold faced lie.

"Anna!" Parker called as I stayed kneeling down petting my big dogs head. "Anna let's go."

I didn't reply. I just kept running my hand down Phantom's head, resting my forehead in his fur. A lump was growing in my throat.

"Anna, are you okay?" Quinn was walking up behind me, but I didn't look at him, I just closed my eyes and held Phantom's neck. Tears were pricking at my eyes and I didn't trust myself to speak. I knew it all was going to come out in a mess of tears.

I could hear him getting closer and I held up my hand. "Don't touch me." I wanted to run, but I had nowhere to go. I knew that. I needed to talk to them. I needed to just confront the situation, I needed to quit running. But first… I needed to cry.

My arms wrapped back around Phantom's neck as one by one my tears started to fall.

*TEAM*

Quinn watched as Anna cried into the large dog's fur. They were soft sad tears with pained light sobs. The large dog sat there, completely calm as his master crumbled. There was some sort of picture crumbled in her right hand, but he didn't dare check and see what it was.

"_What's happening, Quinn?" _Nate voice sounded in his ear.

"I… don't know."

Suddenly, Anna wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I need to go home. I need to talk to Mom. I need to-" She was almost disoriented with her distress as she pushed past Quinn with Phantom's leash in her hand.

Quinn caught her as she tried to get past him. "Anna, what's wrong? What's in your hand?" He reached for it but Anna pushed him away.

"I need to go home! Take me home!"

Her eyes were wide with a look of desperation as she looked up at him. Something hit her harder than Moreau could have ever dreamed.

Quinn nodded. "Okay."

Nate paced the floor. "We need to take them out before they have a chance to build allies."

Sophie knew her was talking to himself, but she still had to ponder the same idea. Still, as much as Anna sounded willing to take down her brother, she knew it was not quite the truth of how she felt. Her girl was very tenderhearted and had a certain loyalty to her brother. They were raised together.

Why did Missy do this to her children? That was what she couldn't understand. Suzanne? Why would you try that hard to replace a child?

Sophie held Rosalie close to her as she looked over at Nate, still pacing and mumbling to himself. He was determined to keep his family safe. Nate rarely failed at what he set his mind to.

She felt his hands find her hips. "Please don't worry," he whispered in her ear.

She laughed at the irony. "Why would I worry? You're the one who worries."

"I don't worry, I plan. You worry." As always, he made her smile at the same time he gave her a headache. He pressed his lips to hers, even with Rosalie between them. She was pretty well used to it, plus she almost always fell asleep after a crying.

"Is she out?" Sophie whispered as he rested his forehead against hers.

"Like a light."

Sophie leaned in a kissed him again. "When does life calm down?"

"When we stop living."

She laughed lightly as he took Rosalie from her. "I promise that next Christmas, Anna, Rose and Leo, we'll take them to London."

"Leo won't be old enough to go to London yet," Sophie told him lightly, looking down at Rose. "And if we wait until the next year, we'll be able to take Rose just before she goes to school."

Nate raised his eyebrow at her. "You want Rose to go to school?"

Sophie rolled her eyes. "I'm just throwing out possibilities, Nate. What if Anna decides to go to college? Or something else changes-"

"We're still going to London for Christmas in a couple of years."

Once again, Sophie couldn't keep her smile away. That was until the front door opened and Anna walked in. Her eyes were bloodshot and she was obviously upset. Sophie acted on her first instinct and went to her.

"Sweetie-"

Anna unfolded the picture and shoved it in Sophie's direction. "Why didn't you tell me you knew my mom?"

_**Bum-bum-bum! Please let me know what you think! **_


	92. Fighting with Family

Sophie just stared at the picture. It was hard enough to see the image of herself as barely more than a teenager walking down the streets of Italy with Missy at her side. But what was enough harder to see was the look of betray in Anna's teary eyes.

What could she say? There was no right way to tell your daughter that you lied to her. That from the very beginning you knew that she was the daughter of someone you once considered your best friend. That she had her mother's eyes and smart ass attitude. That she was ten times the grifter her mother ever was and that when she sang in Italian, her voice almost completely matched her mothers.

How do you tell the daughter you have built a relationship with, the adoptive daughter that was nearly a feral child a year and a half ago, that you lied to her?

Nate glanced over at Sophie, her complexion completely drained. This was the moment that he had been dreading, but by the look on Sophie's face, she was dreading it even more. Rose snuggled deeper into his arms at the threat of being pulled from her sleep.

As soon as the rest of the team walked through the door, Nate looked at Hardison. "Take Rose upstairs."

"But I wanna-"

Nate gave him a look. "Do it."

Hardison groaned, but obeyed.

This was the moment that the team was divided. Parker stood firmly behind Anna, her eyes sparking with a similar anger as Anna's, but Eliot stood toward Nate and Sophie, knowing that there was more to the story that met the eye. Sophie loved Anna, nothing could change that.

"You knew my mother. You _knew my mother_!" Anna looked so angry and hurt that it made Sophie stomach flip. She put a hand over where she felt Leo move and looked back at Anna.

"Anna," Sophie took a step toward her but Anna held up her hands.

"Was this all some game so you can get back at my mother? Did she ruin your life too? Did you see me as an opportunity to get revenge? Has this all been a con to you?"

Sophie shook her head. "Anna, no. It's not like that at all. You have to trust me. You can't honestly believe-"

"You're the world's greatest grifter," Anna cut her off. "Grifters offer people what they want most and what they think they'll never have. That's what you did to me. You grifted me."

Sophie said nothing. What was there to say? The lie was in the open and all Sophie could do was cry. Tears sliding down her face as baby Leo felt his mother's stress and reacted. Nate felt desperate to diffuse the situation, but he feared the damage was already done.

"Anna," Nate tried, moving to Sophie's side as tears made her knees buckle.

"No," she held up her hands and took a step away from them. "I'm done."

No one quite understood what she meant until she took off the ring Sophie hand given to her for her birthday and threw it onto the table. "Anna," Sophie tried again as the girl turned on her heels.

"If I thought I could take care of her, I'd take Rose with me, but I'm not doing this anymore. I won't help Cory, but now I can't trust you either."

Parker stepped forward. "You can trust us, Anna. You know us."

The poor thief looked more scared than she ever had and Sophie knew that was her fault. All of this. The betrayal in Anna's eyes that was slowly turning to a sober state of nothing. Slowly those dark eyes found Sophie's again. "I wanted you to love me."

Sophie choked on her tears. "Anna, I do love you."

She shook her head. Parker watched desperately, hoping Sophie could talk some sense into her. Eliot was slowly moving toward the door to block her exit and Nate looked unbearably distraught over his family crumbling and miserably worried about Sophie and the baby. She needed to calm down. Quinn just remained silent. This was not his fight.

"Anna, quit it, think about your mother," Nate pleaded with her.

A spark of anger shot through her dark brown eyes as they moved to Nate. Anna almost looked like a different person right then. She looked like Missy.

She deserved answers, even if they were not exactly what she was looking for.

"I was nineteen, Anna. No, I did know who you were when I first met you, but I saw talent that could be abused and you needed me as much as I needed you," Sophie tried, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

Anna looked at her and there was a small look of hope on her face. She didn't truly want to throw away her family, but she didn't want to be hurt anymore. Her who life she had been lied to over and over again and now she was really beginning to feel like she didn't have anything real in her life.

"Anna, you told me things about your mom that I wanted to be true for you," Sophie continued. "I hoped Missy had changed for you…"

Parker slowly took a step toward Anna, reaching out to touch her like she was a stray animal, but it didn't work like it always did for Sophie. When Anna was backed into a corner, radiating pain and fear, Sophie was the one to pull her out with just a touch. There was a need to understand in her eyes, but there was also layers of hurt. She had been burned and was unwilling to be touched.

Anna was fighting with herself. She wanted to go to Sophie and crawl into her arms and tell her the awful things that she felt, but she couldn't because Sophie was the one that put her in this position. Her emotions were so conflicted that she didn't know what to do. Her mind was racing and her stomach felt ill.

Eliot couldn't let her leave though. She was self destructive and with Moreau and Cory out there she didn't stand a chance without her head screw on right.

Hardison stayed near the steps, not wanting to get to close to the girl who looked like she was ready to combust, but he honestly felt like she had every right to. He trusted Sophie, and he understand that she probably had her reasons behind the secret, but he understood Anna's pain.

Parker just wanted Anna to stay. She wasn't very good at losing people and Anna wasn't just anyone. She felt like a big sister to her and she couldn't bear to lose someone else that she loved.

"I want to leave," Anna mumbled honestly. It was a weak statement, laced with desperation, like she was captive in her own home. "I can't think…"

Sophie knew the feeling and took the opportunity to disarm Anna even more. She reached out and touched the girl's hair. Neuro-linguistic programming. The motion she used all too often to calm both of her daughters, to reel them into her so she could help them, she was using it now. Anna's frigid disposition faltered, even just slightly.

"Anna, sweetie," she spoke softly, almost in a hypnotic tone even though her personal desperation was showing as well. "I'm sorry."

Anna's eye shot to Sophie's. The spark of anger flashed, but slowly melted away. "I don't know what to believe anymore…"

Sophie glanced at the others. "Can I please speak with Anna alone?"

Parker and Eliot hesitated the most. Eliot, feeling like if he left his station, she could escape out the door faster than anyone could catch her. Parker just felt like Anna needed an ally and she wasn't sure if Sophie truly was one right now. She trusted Sophie, but for the first time, she questioned who she chose first. She was beginning to think the answer was Anna.

Slowly, they left. Quinn giving Anna an extra long look before disappearing into the kitchen with the rest of them. In the past when Anna was hurt, it wasn't like this. Nate hitting Anna was the only thing that came close and everyone knew their sides on that one. This was different. Sophie knowing Anna's mother wasn't a betrayal to all of them. It was almost unsurprising with how secretive Sophie is about her past. They knew Sophie wouldn't purposefully hurt Anna.

In fact, Anna may have even known that, but the fact she had so many questions and curiosities about her parents and the fact that they could have been answered, may have been getting to her more than anything else.

Sophie slowly took Anna into her arms, giving her every chance to move away. She was frigid in the hug at first, but slowly relaxed and even rested her head on Sophie's shoulder. "I'm really…" she didn't say the word, just gave a heavy sigh.

"You're what, Anna?"

"I'm mad and hurt and confused and really don't think it's fair that I'm hugging you."

Sophie smiled a little at the last bit. "You trust me, don't you?"

Anna hesitated. "I did. I don't know if I do anymore."

Sophie took that earnestly. The stress was making her blood pressure rise, in turn making Leo even more active. "Anna."

Sophie pulled back and looked her older daughter in the eye. "If I would have known where we would be or what would've happened, I would have told you. I just thought telling you would… it would hurt you more."

Anna moved into Sophie more. "Cory use it against you. He tried to get me to come with him with that picture."

The pain the laced Anna's words was well heard to Sophie's ears. "Why didn't you then?"

It was sort of a trick question, but Anna understood the point around it. "Cory's done more to hurt me than help me. You… you've tried to help me."

Her lips pressed into Anna's hair. "That's my job, love."

"Cause you're my mom?"

Air got stuck in Sophie lungs as she nodded. "If you want to ask me about her, I'll tell you the truth, Ann. As much as I can."

Tension slowly died, and Sophie feared that Anna still may be leery on completely trusting her. There was a different look in her eye as Anna stood there in the dark wash skinny jeans, knee high leather boots, a black and white striped tunic and her hair in a fishtail braid away from her face. She recently had added sweep bangs to her look and for some reason it made her look even older. The tears were dried, but there was an emptiness.

Quinn stood close to her in his cowboy boots and button up black shirt. He had a protective stance between her and the others. "So Moreau and Cory aren't coming at us yet. They're gathering troops," he spelled out for them, resting his hand on Anna's back.

Everyone noticed his protectiveness in Anna right then, and Nate had a feeling that he wasn't happy with her family, but Quinn didn't know them as well as he thought he did. Nate stayed close to Sophie, invading her space but not touching her.

"So we hit them now, before they have a chance."

Anna pursed her lips and kept staring at the screen that reveal the familiar face of her brother and a man that considered her a gold mine. "No. We can't hit them now. Moreau would never have come to us if he didn't have a secret weapon. We can't put anything at risk and right now, our biggest concern is Mom and Leo."

"Anna's right. We need people in our corner though too. More than just Tara and Quinn," Parker continued. "I can call Archie."

"Mikel… I could call her in," Eliot offered as well. Nate raised his eyebrow at him with a knowing look. Anna also noticed Quinn's flinch making him wonder if he didn't have a run in with her as well.

"Please don't make me call Chaos…" Hardison pleaded. "You know I hate him."

Sophie sighed. "We all hate him, but he's-

Hardison flinched. "Don't say it."

"-good at what he does."

Hardison groaned. Then they all looked at me. "Well… Libby? I could… make her do something?"

Nate smirked at the idea, but it could actually work. "So we contact our people and prepare, while carrying on with business as usual?"

Sophie shrugged. "I have a feeling some of our roles are going to be switched up."

Anna smirked at Quinn. "That's Mom's way of claiming lead."

"No, your father and I are sharing lead. It's my way of warning all of you that you need to be on top of your game. Anna needs to spend more time on combat and thieving than grifting, Parker needs to work on grifting as does Eliot and Hardison. Quinn-"

Sophie looked over at the man who was almost acting like a guard dog to her daughter even though her real guard dog was already at her feet. "You and Anna can work together."

Nate was surprised by her willingness to pair the two, but he also understood they could push each further than anyone else. Anna had been taught about as much as Eliot could teach her, and Quinn had a way of bringing out her competitive side.

Rose woke a couple hours later to find her sister sitting on the top of the steps alone. It was dark outside but Rose knew it wasn't quite night time. She could hear Momma and Daddy talking softly to each other down stairs about how much someone messed up. It sounded like Momma did something, but Rose didn't understand.

She took a seat next to her sister who sighed deeply. "What's wrong, Nana?"

Anna glanced at the little girl who was probably the only family member she didn't feel any hostility to. Rosalie could see she was upset, but she didn't understand why. "I'm just thinking."

Rose leaned against her, wrapping her arms around one of Anna's. "Thinking make you sad? Momma and Daddy make better."

It was at that moment that Anna realized that her little sister probably was right. Sitting at the top of the steps, listening to Sophie and Nate argue about what's best for them and Sophie stressing how much she wants to fix what happened. The tears were in her voice, but she was fighting them.

"Momma and Daddy always make better," Rosalie assured her.

Anna smiled a little. "They always do their best."

*Anna*

Quinn stood in front of me, knees slightly bent and feet spread apart in a strong stance. "Quit playing defensive Anna," he corrected as I managed to avoid most of his blows.

"I don't hit first," I countered. "Eliot always told me-"

"Eliot's not here. I'm the one who's working with you now."

My eyes narrowed in his direction. He should know better than to push those buttons but he didn't care at the moment. I could see he had a lot to say about the situation from yesterday and I was dreading it.

I took a step forward and took three forceful jabs in his direction. Quinn easily dodged all of them then laughed at me. "Seriously, Anna? That was pathetic."

I didn't get angry, I just faltered a little. I wasn't someone who took the first attack, I was better at retaliating. Quinn, much like Eliot, was good at it all. I knew that he was just trying to get me to fight like I would if I was really being attacked, but I don't make the first move.

Somewhere I must have gotten distracted because the next thing I knew I was flat on my back with the wind escaping from my lungs.

"Anna, you have to focus!" Quinn snapped, offering me a hand to get back on my feet. I groaned and accepted it.

"Why do I have to learn this?" I snapped, rubbing my neck.

"A man comes at you with a gun, are you going to wait til he fires?" Quinn asked me. "If you do, you may not get a chance to fight back."

I groaned and nodded.

I opened my stance again and watched as Quinn did the same. "You always wait for something to happen. You're not much of a fighter," he went on, irritating me even more. I was a fine fighter. I could take him on normal circumstances. "And what's up with Sophie?"

I narrowed my eyes at him as I tried to obey his orders and take the first shot. "What do you mean by that?"

"She's a pathological liar and all you want to do is protect her," he scoffed at me as he grabbed my wrist and instructed me to try again. "You're a pushover."

"I'm not a push over. She's my mom." I moved faster this time, harder, as my anger boiled in my stomach.

"She's a bitch-"

Before the word could completely leave his lips I had him flipping over my shoulder, flat on his back and my foot on his throat, my eyes blazing.

He smirked. "Good job."

I pulled my hands away. "Don't talk about my family like that."

"Don't be so easily manipulated, Ann."

I glared at him. "Don't insult my family."

Quinn smiled at me. "Use those emotions when you're fighting, but don't be blinded by them."

Though his technique was very different than Eliot's I had a feeling Quinn would be teaching me something that Eliot would never. But that's okay, I wasn't afraid to fight back with Quinn.

_**Sorry for the sorta sudden ending, just take it as a TBC. I really wanted to get this to you before I started on my homework and it was put off even longer. Anyway. Hope you enjoy!**_


	93. Starke Problems

I grabbed my iPod and slipped it into my arm band. I needed to run. It was just past six in the morning and Sophie was already up in the kitchen fixing herself something to eat. She looked a little pale, but I didn't think much of it.

"Going for a run?" she asked me, sipping her decaffeinated tea.

I barely glanced at her. "Yup."

"This early?"

"Yup."

She studied me, I could feel it as I grabbed a bottle water from the fridge. I glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. Yes, I was being short with her and yes I kicked Quinn's ass yesterday for calling her a bitch, but I was not ready to snuggle up to her and tell her we can stop fighting.

"How far are you going?"

"Six miles."

"Are you taking Phantom?"

I shrugged and twisted the cap open to the water. Sophie gave me a pointed look. "I'd feel better if you took Phantom."

"Well, I'd feel better if you'd get off my back," I muttered in response. I knew she heard me, but was much better about picking her battles than I was. Without another word, I grabbed Phantom's leash from off the counter top and snapped my fingers for the dog.

Phantom came trotting over and I hooked the leash onto his leather collar. I recently bought it and had his name sewed into the top. He stretched his front paws and then his back as I walked toward the door.

I could hear Sophie take a deep breath as I went. I was getting really good at hurting her and I was too big to find it completely satisfying. It did bother me a bit that I was hurting her, but I was hurt too.

Clicking the piece on my headphones I started my run. It was still mostly dark and I was rearing my reflective belt and neon shirt, but I was too wrapped up in my goal to run away from the irritation and pain that I didn't care about much else.

Phantom kept up with me easily, he was used to my runs. Ever sense his leg healed we had been running together. I made sure I didn't push him too hard at first, but now he could run about as far as I could.

I passed Libby's house and kept going. The trail I usually jogged on didn't actually begin until I got to the park. It was a three mile trail so I usually ran it once or twice then around a few blocks. The worst thing about Portland though was the rain. I liked running outside but you had to take the opportunities you were given. I could run in the rain if I wanted to, but Sophie also said she didn't need another kid with pneumonia. Light drizzles were fine. When it was actually raining, raining Sophie or Nate would come pick me up in the vehicle.

Though there were some inside trails that were alright, it wasn't the same.

My running shoes were really beginning to wear and I could tell as I entered the forested area of the trail. The first time I slid, I brushed it off and got better footing, the second time wasn't as pretty. My knee twisted in and odd direction as I tried to brace myself, effectively sending me tumbling over, nearly on top of Phantom.

The dog stopped immediately, looking at me at first like I was crazy then leaning into sniff me. "I know, I'm a klutz," I muttered to him, patting his nose.

He kept nosing me until I was back on my feet. My knee felt funny. Kinda like it was burning, but as a runner you experience odd sensations in your joints when you stop suddenly. It was probably just twist or something. I grunted a little when I noticed I effectively skinned them too. Two miles into a six mile jog and I was bleeding, but like hell if I was going home yet.

Phantom whined as I started moving again. The ache in my knee continued to remind me of my accident until finally fading away into a numbness at the third mile. Something felt wrong, but it didn't hurt so I didn't mind.

Finally, halfway through with the third mile, my knee started trying to give out until finally I realized that I really needed to stop before I fell again. It was harder to stop than keep going at that point, changing the area of pressure on my foot made my knee buckle and stumble again.

"Shit…" I muttered. It was official, something was actually wrong with my left knee. Even though it was cold, I was still wearing shorts. My muscular legs weren't very easily effected by the temperature.

My cell phone was at home and I was currently limping to the closest bench. I was beginning to feel very humbled as I tried to sort out my options. If I waited long enough, Mom and Dad would come looking for me, but then I'd have to deal with angry parents on top of a knee injury. Not that they'd be truly angry, just worried.

Or….

There was another jogger coming up the path. So, with Cory and Moreau in town, it's really not a good time to start asking a jogger I've never seen before for help, but I was seeing very little option.

I looked at Phantom. "Phantom, stop him."

The large dog looked at me then to the jogger. He stood up and lowered his head, radiating a low growl. He wouldn't attack, but a dog that weighed more than the girl he was with would definitely stop someone.

The man slowed down and I snapped my fingers for Phantom to stop . He obeyed immediately and returned to my side. The jogger pulled his headphones out of his ears and looked at me as he stood in tight runners shorts and a similar shirt to mine. "You okay?"

He had kind eyes, but I was suspicious of everyone at the moment, it didn't matter if they were dressed as a nun. "Uh, actually I hurt my knee and I was wondering if I could use your phone."

The man's eyes scanned me over before falling on my knee. "Oo, that doesn't look good."

Silently, I was hoping he was talking about the scratches and not my knee itself. It was really burning now and I didn't want to look at it. "Yeah, I need to call my dad or my brother…. Or someone that can carry me…"

He nodded and pulled his cell phone of his armband. "Need me to dial the number?"

I wanted to snap at him and tell him my knee was hurt not my fingers, but I just shook my head instead. "No, it's alright."

He handed me the phone and I dialed Nate's number first. _"Hello?"_

He didn't sound happy about an unknown number calling him. "Dad? It's Anna."

The tone of his voice changed to more worried now than confused. _"Where are you? Sophie said you went for a run."_

"I did- I just… Well, I hurt my knee."

"_Are you on the trail? I'm grabbing my keys now." _I could hear him tell Sophie what was going on and I could also hear her telling him that she'd wait at home. I rolled my eyes.

"Well, I'm sitting on a bench with Phantom and," I glanced up at the man whose phone I was using, "I'm sorry what's your name?"

"Marcus Starke," he replied as he kneeled down to tie his shoe.

".. and Marcus Starke. I'm fine."

*Team*

Nate stopped in mid step. "What did you say?"

"_He's the jogger letting me use his phone. His name is Marcus Starke. Can you bring ice?"_

Marcus Starke was before Anna's time with them. The last time he saw Marcus Starke was the day Sophie left for months. The memory was attached to a feeling of dread and worry. He glanced over to the woman he loved trying to coax the toddler in her arms out of sleep.

Marcus Starke wasn't the type of person to hurt Anna, but he was more likely trying to recruit her or setting her up for a trap. In that case though, Starke knew she just told Nate his name.

"I'll be there in a little bit Anna, keep Phantom with you," Nate commanded with a hint of panic in his voice. Sophie's eyes shot back to him. She knew something caught him off guard, more than Anna's apparent injury.

"You want me to come with you?" Sophie offered, suddenly changing her mind.

"Umm, no. I don't think that would be best," Nate replied, covering the speaker of the phone with his free hand. Sophie was already dressed for the day but Rosalie wasn't. She was still clinging to Sophie with her head nuzzled into her mother's neck. Plus, he also noticed the lack of color in Sophie's cheeks. "Stay here, I'll be right back with her." He removed his hand from the speaker. "Give me five minutes."

Sophie watched as Nate rush out the door. Sophie sighed deeply and kept rubbing Rose's back. "How come your sister just pushes herself until someone gets hurt?" She knew Rose was still asleep, but she didn't mind. "She's more like Nate than she thinks."

*Anna*

Mr. Starke offered me a hand to get to my feet. I accepted, but I didn't accept his offer to help me walk. Perhaps I was a little too independent, but I was not going to so easily accept the fact my knee was injured.

I could see Mr. Starke's smirk out of the corner of my eye and I knew better than to trust a stranger. Especially a stranger that appeared to be a jogger but wasn't the least bit sweaty over a mile into the track.

"Thanks for the help," I told him, taking note that he was studying me very closely, admiring me in a way I was not comfortable with. I tugged on my hoody self consciously and hoped that Nate would hurry up. How did a morning run turn into an injury and a pervert?

"No problem. I'll stay with you until your dad gets here," Mr. Starke assured me. "Do you live nearby?"

I noticed a pry for information when I heard one. "Close enough. I haven't seen you on this trail before," I countered.

"New to the area." He looked at me again and kept watching me.

Finally, I had enough. If I had to run, I could. I could also probably take the guy if I had to. He didn't look like he'd ever been in a fight in his life. He seemed more along the lines of a grifter than anything.

"Why don't you just tell me while you're really here, Mr. Starke?" I asked, giving him a sideways look. "I'm a rather smart girl."

He smirked. "So I've heard." My eyes narrowed in his direction as I clutched Phantom's leash tighter. "You've become somewhat of legend, my dear."

I remained stoic. I didn't know what he was getting at, but I didn't trust him. Not with everything that was going on. He just glanced at me again. "Daughter of the Moretti's was already pretty well know to the people in the business. Little Fox. Now, adopted daughter and only apprentice of Sophie Devereaux and Nathan Ford. The next generation…"

Nate came driving up in the Escape as I glanced past Mr. Starke. "So what? You've come to be sure I don't put you out of business? Voice your awe? Ask me to dinner?"

Mr. Starke smirked. "I heard that you all could use a little help."

The Escape was roughly thrown into park as Nate hopped out of the driver's side, without ice. "Anna, you alright?" he asked barely giving me a chance to answer before putting his arm around my shoulders and glaring at me. "Long time, Marcus."

Mr. Starke looked humored. "You are still as protective as ever over the women in your life."

Nate shrugged. "Well, I get a bit territorial when someone tries to kill someone I care about or just happens to be nearby when my daughter injure her knee."

Mr. Starke shrugged. "First of all, I didn't try and kill Sophie, you just thought I did, not that I blame you. Second of all, Anna hurting her knee? It was just interesting timing."

Nate still didn't believe him. "What do you want, Starke?"

"As I was saying to your charming daughter here, I've came to offer you my services."

Nate's eyes narrowed and Mr. Starke held up his hands in sign of peace. "You don't have to decide now." He handed Nate a card from his pocket. It was an off white with curvy script on it. "You don't have to decide right away." He turned and took a few steps away from us. "Oh, and do say hello to Sophie for me. I hear congratulations are an order."

Nate seemed even more frigid as we watched the man walk away. Finally Nate looked down at the large dog sitting patiently beside us. "You're job is to keep people like that away from us," he muttered shaking his head and heading back to the vehicle.

I tried to match his speed, but my knee was getting harder to walk on. Nate most likely noticed, but he was focused on the fact there were too many thieves in our area and they all were looking at us. As I climbed into the car, I shot a short glare over at my father fuming in the driver's seat. "You forgot the ice."

*Team*

Sophie was uncomfortable to say the least. Her back heart and she kept getting light headed. To be honest she knew she was overly stressed, but she didn't see a way for that to end. She tried to remain calm for the baby's sake but no one was making that easy.

Nate come in through the kitchen, helping a very frustrated looking Anna along too. Sophie could already see her knee was swollen and scraped. Even worse, Anna was already making a point not to look at Sophie.

She sighed deeply as Rosalie looked at her sister. "What happened to Nana, Momma?" she asked, sleep still heavy in her voice.

Sophie snuggled the little girl that had yet to really get up yet. "She just hurt her knee."

Anna huffed as she limped into the kitchen. Sophie could see the pain on her face but she was giving her all to cover it. "I'm fine," she muttered, still not even glancing at Sophie.

Well, she was doing well enough to know she was still angry at her mother. Sophie wasn't sure if she should take that as a positive of a negative.

Rose sighed dramatically before finally wiggling her way off her mother's lap and into the kitchen to ask her father for some juice. Sophie struggled a little getting to her feet, her center of balance being a little off. Anna was muttering to herself in Italian as she got ice out of the freezer. Sophie noted the pained look on her face as well as the Italian curse words being muttered.

"Want me to get that for you so you can have a seat?" Sophie offered.

Anna snapped her glare over to her mother. "I don't need your help," she hissed pulling the ice bag away and heading toward the family room.

Sophie exhaled but accepted the anger. She hoped it would go away, but she knew that it wouldn't any time soon. Anna would eventually come back to her. She smirked a little at the memory of an analogy she had heard before. How kids were like animals in a way. At first they're dogs, always happy to see you, cuddly and warm, honestly just happy. Then they turn into cats. They become turn their nose up at you and avoid you until they want you. Then they'll cuddle up to you and love you until suddenly they decide not to. Eventually you'll get your loveable daughter back, but until then…

Anna limped into the living room and collapsed onto the couch, propping up her knee and adding the ice.

Nate filled Rosalie's sippy cup and handed it down her. Rose accepted the pink plaid cup and stuck it in her mouth as she wrapped her free arm around Nate's leg and leaned against him sleepily. Poor little thing was just not a morning person.

"Starke's in town," Nate said casually.

Sophie spun around and looked at him. "Marcus Starke? As in-"

"Yup."

The confusion registered on Sophie's face. Surely Starke wouldn't be working with Moreau. He had too much respect for her. "Why?"

There was a small nod in Anna's direction from Nate. "Apparently she's becoming quite the legend. He wanted to meet her, and offer his services."

Sophie turned her head a little more in his direction. Offer his services? "Against-"

"Moreau, yeah. Apparently people are choosing sides." Nate exhaled and reached for a the kettle on the stove. "This is becoming a war."

A war. If there was a more dangerous term, Sophie could not think of one. She could see it on Nate's face. He wasn't expecting this either. This was truly a worst scenario that they had not thought of before.

"What are we going to do?" she asked him, feeling her protective instincts kick in with Rose and Leo.

Nate looked at her. "Sophie, I'm not going to let anything happen to you or the kids, do you understand?" he took her hand in his and ran his finger over her ring. "You and I are going to get married and do whatever you want after that. If you want to retire just say the word. We'll go live on an island somewhere or we'll start over anywhere you want."

She gave him a weak smile, but at the moment she had no answers for him. Instead, she moved toward him and kissed him gently. "I love you," she told him as she rested her head on his chest.

*Anna*

Eliot kept looking at my knee with Quinn right beside him. "I saw it's a sprain, what do you think?"

Quinn looked at my swollen knee and touched it with both his hands. "It's feverish, I'd say sprain too."

I groaned. "What does that mean for me? I can still train right?"

Parker plopped down beside me and took a big bite of her favorite sugary cereal as Quinn and Eliot ignored me and went to talk to Nate. I groaned and threw my head back. How bad can you time a freaking knee injury, because I was fairly sure this took the cake.

"Have you talked to Libby lately?" Parker asked me with her mouth full of cereal.

"And tell her what? 'Sorry, I'm currently dealing with a possible war going on with a bunch of world class criminals over the death of my parents and a trapping a very bad man on an island. I'll call you if I survive.' Yup, sounds like a plan," I grumbled as I slid back further into the couch.

Hardison looked at me. "Someone's grumpy."

"I have a sprained knee! I'm a runner, I fight, please tell me how you think I should be feeling," I snapped at him.

Sophie narrowed her eyes at me. "Anna," she warned.

I just shot a glare in her direction too before crossing my arms over my chest and stared at the empty wall.

Rosalie went running over to Sophie and handed her one of her favorite bows to add to her mess of curls. We were supposed to continue working on our other cons and pretend that nothing was wrong, but I couldn't decide if that was a good idea or not. Sophie was still trying to finish dressing Rosalie before we headed to the restaurant.

I on the other hand had to be helped up the stairs just so I could hobble into my bathroom to take a fast shower. Eliot had brought me a brace and crutches and instructed me that I needed to stay off of it until he said otherwise.

Quinn found it extremely funny to watch me on crutches. He said that I looked fed up with the world and he was mostly right. I was sick of Sophie, I wasn't even able to run my frustration off, and now I on crutches until Eliot said otherwise.

The team had discussed Starke and decided that we would keep the card close, for when the time got closer, but we had to spread our focus. People still needed our help and we couldn't just tell them no because we were preparing for something in the future.

I took a deep breath as I watch Sophie and Nate meet with our newest client, Orin Metz as Rosalie sat with me, eating her sliced apples Eliot laid out for the both of us. "I get to help?" Rose asked me, having a fair idea of what we do by now.

I shook my head. "I doubt either of us get to help, sis."

Rosalie didn't pout, just looked over at our parents. "Daddy talks 'bout us gettin' in trouble cuzza Cory." She looked back at me. "Cory bad too? Like Mama and Papa?"

I thought about that question. How did you explain that to a toddler? "Cory's just mad. He may come around."

Rose didn't buy it. "When you're mad at Momma you don't try and hurt us. Cory's bad too." This time it wasn't a question. I watched her as she looked back at Nate and Sophie. "Cory and Mama and Papa bad. But we're good cuzza Momma and Daddy?"

The fact that I had only recently had a similar conversation about this with our parents made me realize that Rosalie was a lot brighter than I gave her credit for. She was perceptive.

"I think we're good because we found people to love us," I explained to her. "The way people are supposed to love us."

Rose suddenly looked a little worried and sad. "Momma and Daddy will keep us safe from Cory, right Nana? I don't wanna be Suzy no more."

I pulled Rose closer to me in the booth and kissed the side of her head. "Mom and Dad will always keep us safe."

I glanced back at the table where Sophie and Nate were saying goodbye to the client. They were talking about something and by the look on Sophie's face, she was waiting for Nate to realize he was wrong.

Grabbing my crutches, I tapped Rosalie's shoulder to get her to come with me. Rose ran through the restaurant, straight into Nate's arms, I on the other hand hobbled over to Sophie's side and gave her a weak smile. It was kind of an apology, even though we both knew I wasn't completely done being mad. She kissed my temple as I sat down next to her in the booth.

Nate seemed a bit more distracted than usual as he sat Rosalie back down and excused himself to take a phone call. I could swear I heard him say something about Sterling.

Sophie tried to pretend she didn't hear a thing, as Rose started going on about her new rain boots Sophie bought her. Rebecca, our waitress, came over and refilled our drinks. "You know Thanksgiving is this Thursday," she said sweetly to Rose. "Aren't you excited about all the turkey and pie you're going to get to eat?"

Rose gave her and funny look then looked back at Sophie. "Thanksgiving, Momma? What's that?"

Rebecca looked shocked, and then apologetic. "I'm so sorry, I just assumed that-"

Sophie gave her a comforting smile. "Oh, no it's fine. It's just the first time we've talked about it."

Still Rebecca looked extremely apologetic, most likely pushing off Rose's ignorance about Thanksgiving due to the fact Sophie was British, not to mention my parents were Italian. Rebecca quickly excused herself and hurried on her way.

I looked over at Sophie. "Are we doing Thanksgiving this year?"

Sophie gave me a funny look. "We do it every year, well, the team does. Well, except last year, we were just too busy."

Sophie then gave me another look as she studied me. "Have you ever had Thanksgiving?"

Rose and I both shook our heads. "Our parents didn't believe in those kind of holidays," I told her. "It was just another day."

"Well," she said with certain finality. "That will change this year."

Sophie suddenly put her hand over her stomach and cringed a little bit. Fear over took my expression. "Are you okay?" I asked, panic fueling my voice.

She took a deep breath and forced a smile. "I'm fine, love. Leo's just finding my rib cage as a nice spot to stretch," she explained.

It seemed to be the truth as she tapped my leg to moved out of the booth so we could catch up with the team, but I was still worried. I just didn't know what I was suppose to do.


	94. Like A Cancer

A month had passed and Christmas was only weeks away. Sophie seemed to tire more easily and Nate spent most of his free time trying to figure out a plan, a way to keep us all safe. Sterling had originally insisted on me staying with Maggie until this had all blown over, but Sophie reminded him that this was Moreau. I was safer with the team.

People were picking their sides. We were creating friends and allies from all over the world, but we were also creating enemies, so we learned through a series of painful encounters that cost Nate some sleep at night.

Sophie's stomach was well pronounced now, but she wasn't huge. It was definitely evident she was expecting. She was five months along now and it really bothered me how ill she looked sometimes. She played everything off like she was fine, but I knew better. So I decided to stay close unless she asked me to run out and get something for her, which I didn't mind doing either.

The moment I made it into the house with Sophie's apples, Tara welcomed me with her over abundance of attitude. "Hey Half-Pink. Well, well, if it's not the epicenter of the earthquake."

Sophie shook her head as I glared back at Tara, she was definitely expecting something to happen between us already. "I'm sure I'm not the first person you said that too."

Tara chuckled at me. That was just our relationship. It was just sort of a friendship. It a bit aggressive and bitter, but we over all were friendly. Sophie acted as a balance between the two of us, claiming that we were too similar.

The blonde grifter threw her arm around my shoulders as I sat down on the couch. Sterling was in the kitchen with Nate discussing how this was NOT a good idea, but understanding that there was no other way to go about it. Maggie and Olivia would be joining us soon later and Starke was camped out at a hotel. We were getting calls and offers to help.

Sophie's friends from Europe, the Mattingly guy (though he will always be iluvpays72 in my heart) that Tara slept with months ago also offered his services and Archie was finding out that me on crutches meant very little when a con was involved. People were coming and joining our ranks, but the more that came, the more I realized this wasn't a family feud anymore.

Rose ran up to Tara and handed her one of Phantom's toys. Tara pulled back her hands. "Sorry kid, I don't play with children or animals, take it to your mom."

Rose looked thoroughly disappointed as she drug her feet over to Sophie and laid her head on her lap, obviously upset and embarrassed by Tara's rejection. Sophie comforted Rose as I closed my arms in front my chest and glared at Tara.

"The reason you don't like dogs or children is because you find innocence threatening," I said to her plainly. "Which is why you don't have a problem with me."

Tara smirked at me. "Been watching Doctor Phil or reading some Freud? Going to tell me about how my dreams related to my multi partnered sex life and how my mother ruined me by telling me Santa wasn't real?"

Sophie even hissed at her for that one, nodding down at Rose who still seemed to be upset from Tara's reaction.

I was about to tell her that I could care less about any of that, but she didn't need to take anything out on Rose when Sophie cleared her throat. "Anna, quit psycho-evaluating Tara. Tara, be nice to my children."

I left my crutches against the wall in the kitchen and limped my way over to Hardison and Eliot, my knee was getting better, but it wasn't a hundred percent. Hardison was really wanting to deep fry the turkey for Christmas dinner in a couple weeks, but we all vetoed that idea pretty fast, except for Parker who thought it would be cool to try. Quinn but his arm around my shoulder.

Parker threw her arm around my shoulders from the other side and looked over at Quinn. "You know, Sterling and Nate are both upstairs and Sterling really hates you and Nate doesn't like the fact you're touching his kid. I'd be careful."

She then ruffled both our hair and skipped off.

Tara chuckled at her. "Well, I can't say the girl doesn't have good taste. Much better than those little teeny-boppers you hung around with in Boston. Even if you did have the whole posy."

Sophie sighed and shook her head, completely exhausted with her friend at the moment. "Tara, please, shut up."

I shrugged off Quinn's arm, giving him an apologetic look as I resisted kissing his cheek. I walked over to Sophie and threw my arm over her shoulders. Sophie gave me a tired smile as I hugged her. "You okay, Mom?" I asked her as Nate came walking down the steps.

"Just tired," she replied with a sigh as she held Rose closer.

Nate walked into the living area with Sterling looking far from pleased, immediately earning all of their attention. Tara crossed her arms and braced herself against the counter as Eliot dried his hands and Parker rolled over the back of the couch. Hardison placed his hands on Parker's shoulders.

Nate shifted his weight. "We've decided that we need to hold tight, but stick together. Tara, we're trusting you with the volunteers on our side."

Tara rolled her eyes. "I thought I made it clear I don't babysit."

I shot my gaze at her. "Then don't babysit. Run a team."

She shot me a surprised look. "Someone's touchy."

My eyes narrowed. "You would be too."

There was a sound of a bag dropping and I turned around to see Olivia standing in the door way with her arms crossed. She still looked a little too pristine and up tight for my taste, especially in her China doll dress and her hair in a perfect bun. She studied me and smirked.

*Team*

There was something very odd and powerful when two very different people in the room. Olivia and Anna were excellent examples. It was obvious they didn't like each other, but they were absurdly intelligent young people that reacted fast with emotions and saw the entire world in two opposite lights.

To Sophie it was funny how two girls that were actually rather similar could be so different. Then again, she also realized some people hate the people that remind them of themselves.

"Anna thinks the entire world is how to bluff," Olivia claimed as Maggie took a deep breath and nodded at Sophie from across the hall. They smirked at each other as suddenly the electricity of opposite minds sparked in the room.

Nate and Sterling both took deep breaths. The entire reason Nate thought it would be a good idea for Olivia and Maggie to join them just because every other interaction between Olivia and Anna has resulted with Anna seeing things no one else did and Olivia broadening her horizons.

"And Olivia here thinks the entire world is structured enough to think three steps ahead," Anna snapped back.

Phantom's ears perked up, noticing his master's attitude change and Quinn snapped his fingers to be sure that the dog didn't do anything. In fact, Quinn was rather curious as to what Anna would do.

"Keeps your cards close and your enemies closer," Anna fired back.

"Is that why your brother is trying to kill you?" Olivia smirked.

Anna's eyes turned to daggers. "Still playing chess with just your daddy."

Quinn leaned over to Eliot. "Are they always like this?"

Eliot rolled his eyes. "You have no idea."

Maggie sighed as she took a seat next to Sophie. The women exchanged knowing looks as Anna and Olivia kept at it, Rose and Parker watching like a tennis match and Tara seeming to find this hilarious. She was laughing until tears were welling in her eyes.

"Girls," Nate tried taking a step toward them.

Suddenly the door was open again, revealing a petite familiar face. "Uhh, you are really loud Ans."

Anna spun around and looked Libby standing in the doorway with her hair in a bouncy pony tail and wearing a sweat shirt that said "I Made The Naughty List". She then looked around at the room full of people, many of them unfamiliar to her.

Libby crossed her arms and pouted her lip. "I go visit my dad for two weeks and you throw a party without me. No fun."

Almost like a light switch, a smile spread across Anna's face as she ran to her friend. Olivia crossed her arms, frustrated that someone would interrupt the most fun she had in weeks. Sophie struggled to her feet and went over to her favorite normal teenager.

"Libby's back!" Rosalie cheered.

Tara rolled her eyes. "I thought you quit picking up strays, Soph."

Libby frowned at Tara over Sophie's shoulder as she accepted the hug. "Someone's not very friendly." She was released from Sophie's hug.

Anna smirked. "Meet Aunt Tara. One hundred and ten percent hateful bitch."

A small smile cracked Tara's lips. "Aw, that may have been the nicest thing you ever said to me."

Olivia rolled her eyes and crossed her arm making Anna smile. Then Libby cleared her throat and nodded at the others. "Hi a lot of people I don't know." Then her eyes fell on Quinn. "Oh, except you, I know you."

She swayed her hips as she smiled at him. "I am Libby, Anna's awesome best friend. You're the sexy bad boy-"

Anna cleared her throat and shot a look at her. Libby heaved a dramatic sigh. "That I'm not allowed to talk to."

The whole team enjoyed Libby's interesting attitude, even Maggie found her interesting and Sterling thought she funny in the kind of way you laugh at inappropriate TV shows. Still, that didn't make it any less of a learning experience.

Libby took her introductions sweetly then plopped down in the chair. "So, what's going on?"

Anna opened her mouth, ready to sell a lie easily. Lying through her teeth was like spreading butter to Anna. She never flinched. She could make you believe that the person responsible for your broken tail light that you saw her break was you. She had skills that no one could deny. Still, every now and then, something catches her by surprise.

"We're making a plan to keep Anna alive, as well as the rest of us because of her psycho brother and a person Nate decided to piss off about a year ago."

Everyone turned to Tara. Libby at first seemed to take this as a joke, but slowly realized this was anything but. "Well… my CIA theory isn't completely gone…"

Anna took a deep breath. "We're thieves."

Parker raised her hand. "Technically I'm the only thief in here, right now."

This only confused Libby more. Anna exhaled and started going around the room. "Hardison-hacker. Eliot and Quinn-hitters or muscle. Sophie and Tara-grifters. Nate- mastermind. Maggie- Nate's ex-wife who we occasionally call in to grift. Sterling-insurance investor who lends us a hand when he feels morally obligated and Olivia," Anna waved her off. "Brat."

Olivia huffed and crossed her arms, but Libby was very confused. "And what are you?" she asked.

Eliot lifted his head up. "She's a target."

Libby tried to let that sink in, but she was still not getting it. Anna decided to make it a bit easier. "Each of us did our own thing for a while. We weren't always a team. I was an artifact mule for my father, my real father, not Nate. Several years ago, before I came along with them, Nate created a team to help people. To pick up where the law leaves off."

Sophie stepped in, seeing Anna getting a bit flustered. "We understand this is a lot, but we need you to not say anything-"

"Holy shit…" Libby gasped as everything in her mind clicked together. "I knew you guys were way too smart to be normal."

Tara smirked at that.

Nate stepped forward. "Listen, Libby, this isn't a game. These are life and death situations."

Libby looked a little too excited. "This is awesome. But yeah, I totally get it."

Anna took a deep breath. "Now, Libby, I don't mean to be rude, but you need to leave." A mixture of hurt and disappointment came over Libby's face and Anna took a deep breath. "I don't want to be rude, but this is a very bad time and you need to go home and stay there."

Finally, she nodded. "Okay. Well." She stood up and collected herself. "Text me later."

As soon as the door closed behind Libby, Anna spun around and glared at Tara. "Why are you such a bitch?"

This time Tara didn't find it funny. Instead she stood and looked down on Anna. She had several inches on her and truth be told, if this turned into a full out brawl no one knew what would happen. They both were too strong and fast to stop, plus neither liked playing fair.

"You need to grow up," she said coldly. "You either need to stick to our kind or theirs. It's not safe to drag normally people into our lifestyle. They just get hurt."

Sophie was suddenly shocked by Tara's icy tone. Maggie took a step back, suddenly feeling too close to a loose cannon as Anna's eyes flared. Suddenly, Tara's eyes were on Nate and Sophie. "This is more your fault than hers. You all should know better than anyone. Letting Anna make friends with irresponsible teenagers is probably why you are in this mess. Boys are one thing, but a little girl friend to tell all her secrets to…"

If there was something you didn't do, you didn't tell a woman how to raise her children. "Tara," she said warningly.

Tara rolled her eyes. "Seriously Sophie. You're not even a grifter anymore. You're a mom first. Have you even thought about what Rosalie or-" Tara motioned to Sophie's stomach. "-is going to do? You can't have the best of both worlds, and until recently you didn't."

Olivia chuckled, sparking an immediate fury in Anna. "What the hell are you laughing at, Priss?" Anna snapped. "You don't even know what it's like. All you had to do was play chess. You never had to choose-"

Sophie was still glaring at Tara. "You have _no_ right. I asked for your help in protecting Anna-"

"-And if it wasn't for you she may not need to be protected at all!" Tara snapped back. "What the hell did you think would happen if you went after Moreau?"

Olivia stepped toward Anna. "Why do you always think my life is peaches and cream, I lost my mother too."

Anna's eyes were flaming with anger. "You carry yourself like you're better than the rest of us when you're not. You're not superior at all. You can't even-"

"Me?" Olivia scoffed. "You think holding your head up high and snapping before you bark makes you friends?"

The arguing continued. Parker had somehow ended up with Rosalie and Quinn, Eliot and Hardison were wishing they would disappear. Maggie looked like she wanted to separate Olivia and Anna but knew better than to touch either of them and Nate and Sterling looked annoyed and frustrated.

A loud shattering sound effectively silenced the entire room.

Nate stood in the center of the room with the remaining hand of the coffee cup he was holding before he slammed it into the wooden paneling. "Finished?" he snapped.

Sterling stepped forward. "Whether we like it or not, we all need Cory and Moreau gone before a new empire can be built. You can either help, or there's the door."

Olivia and Anna continued to glare at each other as Tara and Sophie did the same. "Fine, but I'm not babysitting. Have Archie run your other damn team."

With that, Tara grabbed her coat and marched for the door. "Call me if we're moving out, other than that, don't call me."

Sophie huffed, her heart still racing from the argument as she fell back into the chair. She was seeing spots, but she just squeezed her eyes closed for a long moment as Rose ran to her. Leo was kicking and she felt extremely ill, but she had to focus. She had to stay focused.

"Sophie?" Maggie said softly, touching her arm.

She forced her eyes open. "Hmm?"

Maggie gave her a once over. "Are you okay?"

Sophie nodded. "Just frustrated."

Maggie nodded as the two teenage girls in the house stormed off in opposite directions.

Tara gritted her teeth as she walked out onto the windy docks and onto the ship. It was a cargo ship with the Moretti family crest poorly painted over. You could still make out the outline of it if you were close but it worked if you were viewing from afar.

She slammed the big metal door behind her and cleared her throat.

Moreau appeared from the shadows. "Took you long enough. You told me you'd be by hours ago."

Tara just stared at him with boredom. "I was busy. Had to sell the bit."

He nodded and took a step further into the light. "Are they planning on moving in on us?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "They're waiting for your first move."

Moreau smiled, revealing his perfect teeth. "If that's what they're waiting for, we'll give it to them."

Again, all Tara could do was nod. She didn't want to be here, but it was the best option. "But if I can convince Anna to come with me-"

Moreau turned his back on her, heading back into the shadows. "Her family can walk. What the hell is it with those people? Everyone's will to risk they're asses for them."

Tara swallowed hard. "They grow on you."

This time Moreau let out a dry chuckle. "Like a cancer."

There was a sound of a metal door closing and Tara suddenly felt the most alone she ever felt standing in the shoes of betrayal. But she had to do this. For the one team she can't very easily forget.

_**Tara, a double agent? Olivia pissing off Anna? Libby knowing?! What is in store for our favorite family of thieves next? Let me know what you think. **_


	95. Holes

_**I know this is a short chapter but I wanted to get into the mind set of Anna before everything kicked off. **_

*Anna*

_Quinn slept at our house now. Eliot wanted to be sure that someone was there for protection at all times. Phantom slept with his head on my other pillow, my face snuggled into Phantom's fur as I closed my eyes. _

_No one really slept anymore. We all just laid awake, ready for something bad to happen. I was most worried about Sophie, but she was so worried about me. It all just made me feel guilty. Tears burned my eyes as I buried my face deeper into the thick black fur of Phantom's back. _

_The soft sound of my door squeaking open had me on pull alert, my hand reaching under the mattress for the gun Quinn insisted I have. _

"_Nana?"_

_My hand relaxed as I sat up and looked at my little sister carrying her pink blanket and Teddy. Tears were running down her face as she quickly ran to me, burying herself in my arms and closing her eyes. _

"_What's wrong?" I asked her softly, careful not to wake anyone. _

"_I-I keep having dreams," she hiccupped. _

_I shushed her gently as I rocked her back and forth. I knew the feeling. Nightmares were something we seemed to have in common. The only reason she was in my room and not our parent's was because she also knew that Sophie needed as much rest as possible right now. Still, Rosalie was so scared. She was shaking against me as Phantom laid his head on my knee. _

"_Quinn's downstairs and Mom and Dad are in their room. Nothing bad is going to happen," I told her, kissing her dark curls like Sophie often did to us._

"_But you're wrong," Rosalie cried. She looked up at me. "All the bad's already happened."_

_My brow furrowed as the little girl climbed off my lap and tugged on my hand to follow me out of the room. Phantom trotted behind us. The light in the hallway was blinding and suddenly I was lost. Rose and Phantom were both gone. _

"_Mom? Dad?" I called softly, pushing open the door to their bedroom. _

_My heart sank into my gut as I stared down at the scene before me. Sophie laying on the floor next to their bed, a hole in her forehead. Blood covering the place on the floor where her head rested in an eerily beautiful crimson color. The color of her sheets. _

_Next to her was Nate, his body almost on top of hers, trying to protect her like he always did. I couldn't see his face, but the blood on the floor told me enough. _

_My knees hit the ground, tears pouring down my face. As hard as I gasped it felt like I wasn't getting any air. "Quinn!" I screamed finally, not taking my eyes off of the scene before me. "Quinn, help! Quinn!"_

_With a new burst of adrenalin I pulled myself to my feet, running into the guest room only to find it empty. "Rosalie! Quinn!" _

_My feet pounded against the hardwood steps as I raced to the living room. More horror came into my vision. My stomach twisted as I felt an undeniable urge to vomit. Phantom laid mangled, just in front of the door while Quinn had suffered a similar fate as my parents. His hand was over he chest as his body rested in a pool of blood. _

_I kept choking on air as I fell to my knees beside him. "No-no-no-no-no…" I cried weakly as I touched his pale flesh. _

"_This is your fault, ya know," a voice said calmly from behind me._

_I spun around to see Moreau standing behind me, holding a tearful Rosalie in his hands. _

"_I really didn't want it all to go so quickly, but the look on your face sorta makes up for it." A sister laugh crackled from his lungs. "It was almost as good as Eliot's when he saw Parker and Hardison, but he's not getting the same offer you're getting."_

_My heart ached like nothing I had ever felt before. "What do you want?" I hissed through my tears, my hand clutching Quinn's even though I knew he couldn't feel it. _

_Moreau gave me a look. "What I always wanted: you."_

_I swallowed hard. "You've already taken everything."_

_Moreau tsked his tongue against the roof of his mouth then tossed his head toward Rosalie. "Not everything. You give your sister a chance. Let her live with Maggie, let her live."_

_I swallowed hard. "If I go with you, Rosalie can live. She'll be fine. You'll leave her alone."_

_He raised his hand with two fingers together. "Scout's honor."_

_There was nothing for me to fight for. There was no one left for me to fight alongside. But I could let my sister live, I could let Rosalie have a chance. "Okay," I muttered. "Okay… just let her go. Let her go."_

_Moreau smiled and let Rosalie fall from his arms. Immediately she ran to me, her arms wrapping around my waist as she cried into my legs. She was too scared for words. _

_I kneeled down in front of her. "As soon as I leave here I want you to run outside and scream. You scream until someone comes for you. You tell them you them who you are and you need Maggie Collins and James Sterling. You cry and scream until they get there and then you- you be good for them." More tears were coming down my face as I pushed Rose's hair out of her face._

"_But Momma and Daddy-" she whimpered._

_I shook my head and rested my forehead against hers. "You be good for Maggie and Sterling. For Momma and Daddy," I cry as I tell her. "And you promise me that you'll never forget them."_

"_No-no! I wanna stay with you, Nana."_

_All I can do is shake my head and cry. "No, sissy. Listen to me. Do what I say."_

_Rose looked at me for a long time. "Cry and yell for Maggie…"_

_I nod and pull her into a hug again. I kiss her hair and forehead. "I love you, sissy," I whisper to her. _

_Finally, I let her go and looked back at Moreau. "How touching."_

_I wiped my tears violently with the back of my hand. I couldn't look anywhere but straight ahead as I took a step toward him. "One day, I will make you regret ever breathing."_

_He smirk and shook his head as he pulled out a gun and suddenly pointed back at Rose and pulled the trigger without so much as batting an eye. _

_Rose was thrown backward violently as the silence "pue" of the gun echoed in my mind. Her back in the ground hard and I raced to her side. "No! You said!"_

_Moreau laughed at my pain. "Forgot to mention I was never a boy scout."_

_I didn't care anymore. Rose coughed and choked as I scooped her into my arms. "Nana…"_

_My hands pressed against the hole in her chest that was turning her shirt red. She was shaking as her chest heaved. _

"_Shh, you're going to be alright, Rose. You're going to be okay."_

_Moreau laughed as I held her and rocked her in my arms. I shot my gaze up to him. "Why? She's just a kid!"_

_He just kept laughing. "You should have taken my offer. None of this would have happened."_

_All I could do as Moreau walked through the door, calmly closing it behind him was cry. I kept rocking Rose back and forth, whispering to her and making promises that she was going to be alright. But I was alone. I was alone again. I dragged all these people into my fight and now I lost them all._

*TEAM*

Quinn jumped out of bed as Anna's screams echoed through the house. He raised toward her room to find her face buried in Phantom's fur and her face red. She was still screaming as the dog whined, trying to wake his owner as well.

He ran over to the other side of the bed and grabbed Anna's forearms.

"Anna," he told her firmly, shaking her slightly. "Wake up, Ans, wake up!"

She kept crying as her eyes forced themselves open in a panic. It was almost as though she was being yanked out of water when she was sure she was drowning. Her arms wrapped around his neck as they met his and she cried into his shoulder.

"Another nightmare?" he asked her, as she clung to him, her nails digging into the back of his white t-shirt.

"It was awful, Quinn. Everyone… everyone was just…" she shook her head as squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn't say it. She couldn't make herself.

"Anna, nothing is going to happen, I'm right here," he promised her as he took her face in his hands.

He would protect her until the end of time. He was her self-appointed guardian and he took his job very seriously. Nate trusted Quinn to protect Anna, but Anna trusted herself to protect the team. She had to protect her team. She had to make sure her nightmares never came true.

That night, Quinn slept sitting up against her bed as she laid awake petting her other guardian. The large fuzzy one that she adored. Silently she was going through all the holes in Nate's plans. She knew all plans had holes because you couldn't plan everything. But now they made her nervous.

Her mind flashed back to her dream and immediately she flinched. It wasn't going to happen. She couldn't let it happen. Nate was wrong. We couldn't play defensive this time… it was time to take the fight to them.

_**Anna and Quinn moment. Awe. They're so good for each other. Hope you all enjoyed! Please review. **_


	96. Gone

Nate didn't sleep anymore. Instead he held Sophie close as she dozed, but also didn't quite sleep. He hadn't slept in days and he couldn't think straight anymore. For a half-a quarter-a millionth of a second he wondered if it was work it. If Anna was worth losing everything. It was wrong, but his brain did have an extremely logical side that still dared to ask the question that everyone else was ashamed to fathom.

Sophie stirred but settled again. Her swollen stomach made her sleeping position harder as well as warm, even in the winter months. She looked… sad. Even in her sleep she looked torment.

The bedroom door creaked open. For a long moment Anna's silhouette stood in the door way, looking at them as she twisted the ring on her finger, the ring Sophie had given her for her birthday. He knew what she was going to say. He had been expecting it for days now. This girl was no longer a child and she knew what she had to do.

Then Anna turned from the doorway, not saying a word, and walked down the steps. Perhaps he was a terrible father, perhaps one day he would burn in hell for this, but at that moment he let her go.

Tara stood at the door. She had always liked Anna, even if it didn't appear true at times. Anna was fiery and spirited that you didn't often see. She was daring and smart, not like so many kids now. The girl never wanted to settle.

Of course Tara was proud of the tiny teenager that held the envelope over her heart and then pressed it to her lips before laying it on the kitchen counter, but it was horribly sad. The girl was touching the letter like she was trying to leave herself with it, for her family's sake.

A long time ago, a man once told Tara something, _"Love isn't as simple as holding on or letting go, sometimes love is walking away to save them."_

Anna's life would never be high school dances or prom night. She would never have to worry about a parent-teacher conference or have long conversations with her friends about what some boy did in class. Normal, average, ordinary. These words were antonyms to every Anna. That's what made her special, that's what made her like a magnet to love.

That's why Tara was respecting her enough to do this.

She took nothing with her, no keep sakes for her soul to hold on with. She knew that when she walked out the door to her house her soul would not come with her. It would stay where it belong; with her family.

It was a huge decision for a seventeen year old to make, but it was a decision she felt was right. This was her war, no one should die for her. No one should have to.

Finally, she removed the ring from her finger and looked up at Tara. "Thank you for doing this," she said softly. "For hiding it."

Tara nodded. "You wanted to make sure they were safe. I'll do that."

Anna reached into her pocket and handed her back the bottle of ketamine, what Tara had given her to sedate both Phantom and Quinn. At the end of the day, everyone still had each other. They could use that when they leave.

"You know, he may kill you right?" Tara asked as Anna took the keys to the car she had prepared. "You may be dumped in the river somewhere."

Anna nodded, her emotions numbed. It was too late to take it all back now.

Anna looked out the window and watched as the snow flurried down. It was still dark outside, but there was already several inches of snow on the ground. Finally, Anna clenched the keys in her hand and looked at Tara. "Again, thank you."

There was no hug. There was no familial gestures as Anna walked away and climbed into the black Altima. Tara just watched.

It was for best, she told herself over and over again as tears rolled down her cheeks and the black car disappeared from view. It had been years, decades even, since Tara cried. People she cared about had died in her arms, but she always saw tears as pointless. It was a waste of energy. But Tara cried. She cried until her body crumbled against the ground and she covered her mouth to stay quiet. In a matter of hours she would have to watch her best friend crumble when she realized her daughter was gone and know that all that pain, all the pain on everyone's face, that was partly with the help from her.

But it was for the best.

It was the best option at the time.

Still, she would never forget the scream Sophie made as she fell to her knees and clutched the letter to her chest, or the look Nate held as he tried to comfort her. The way Rosalie stomped her foot with determination when she demanded a reason why Anna was gone.

Eliot attacked Quinn, demanding to know how she managed to get away from him. Parker didn't speak, Hardison didn't stop talking about making a plan to get her back, that they could still do this. Even the dog paced and cried looking to the door for his owner.

She was gone. Their Anna was gone.

*ANNA*

Another shock radiated from my body. My hands were handcuffed above my head as I hung with weak knees. My mind was foggy, but I would still consider it sharper than Cory's. "What is your name?!" Cory demanded again as he held the remote in front of my face. This had been going on for at least sixteen hours. Mom and Dad would have known by now that I was gone. Tara would be keeping them from coming after me.

Were they just going to keep shocking me until I died of dehydration or starvation? Would they shock me until I became nothing more than a vegetable? I didn't know.

"Anna Devereaux Ford," I repeated for the hundredth time.

"Wrong answer."

Another shock. My body went rigid and I screamed in pain.

"What-is-your-name?" Cory shouted again.

He was looking even crazier. He paced the floor, his hair messy and dirty with sweat. There was grease on his face and his clothes were stained. Even though I was chained up and being shocked by him, I felt sorry for him.

"Are you going to kill me?" I asked him. "What do you want from me?"

Cory moved toward me, his steps almost drunkenly as he backhanded me hard. "I want you to be who you were meant to be! Who Dad made you!"

I blinked at him through blurry eyes. He wanted me to be bad.

What the hell was I doing? I was a grifter. I was born to be a grifter. Sophie Devereaux, the worst greatest grifter trained me. Melissa Bonini is my mother, it is in my blood. I am a grifter.

This time Cory didn't ask me a question first, just shocked me. His eyes were wild as he watched me scream and pull against the chains. "WHAT IS YOUR NAME?"

"ANNA!" I screamed back. "Anna Nicole Moretti!"

The voltage stopped and the remote hit the ground. I took heavy breaths as I tried to focus. Finally, I lifted my head to see Cory's eyes teary as he looked at me. "Welcome back, sister."

With that, he moved toward my body and embraced me like we had been lost and finally found each other. "Welcome back."

_**I know, short chapter, but I wanted to get your guy's thought on the twist. There's a lot of big components here to play with. The fact Nate was aware and let Anna leave, Tara helped her leave, Cory seems to have actually lost his mind, and Anna's deciding to change her game. Do you like it or should I scrap it?**_


	97. She's Dangerous

I was a queen and a prisoner. Moreau kept me at his side through every decision. They thought my will power was fading, but it was only growing stronger. I was no longer confined and chained to a wall in a dirty room. Instead I dressed in what Moreau told me to dress in, what he wanted to see me in.

My wrists held black bracelets with metal barbs that stuck into my flesh. Though I hadn't been shocked in weeks, I knew they were a permanent fixture to me. I was kept weak, but strong enough to look like I held power over the men Moreau ruled. They all respected me. They loved my sexuality, but they feared me too much to act upon it. In some ways I was the cat curled up on the masters lap and purred, but they knew I was the smartest one in the room.

I was the black queen, Moreau was the king, and Cory a pawn nothing more. Cory was ignorant. He followed Moreau blindly and even me now. I was the right hand to everything. After I executed every grift, I laid a self destruct button in it, one my real team would know how to find.

It was May. I had been gone for five months. Leo had to have been born already and Rose was three. I wondered about them everyday. I prayed for them, to anyone that may have been listening. Sometimes, I prayed for myself. I didn't know if they thought I was alive or dead, but I hoped they were coming to terms.

For a long moment I thought about Quinn. At times I worried about him most. He was… he needed me. He changed for me and now I was a worse person than anyone could have imagined.

I had killed so many people, directly and indirectly, in these past months. I did my best to do minimal damage but at times I chose my own life over others.

Hands went up my back and onto my shoulders. Hot lips kissed my neck.

"What's the matter darling?" Moreau whispered in my ear. "You seem stressed."

I turned my body around and looked at him as he pulled my body flush against his own. "Just waiting for the next job," I replied as his hands ran into my hair and kissed my collar bone.

"I have a job for you."

*TEAM*

Sophie held Leo against her chest as she rocked him back to sleep. She was alone, again. The house was empty except for her and her infant. The rest of the team were searching. Hints of anything that hinted at Anna. The team had a room full of boards with articles, clippings, of anything possibly Anna. There was a hope board and a board that left none.

_Teenage Girl Found In River With A Bullet Wound To The Head_

_Organ Theft, Young Mystery Woman Responsible?_

There were clues in every direction pointing at what could've happened. Nate was out, driving himself mad, needing closure. Eliot was beating the snot out of anyone that could possibly know where their girl was. Parker kept Rose close, as though it was her only connection to Anna left, and Hardison had programs running all over the internet searching for hints of Anna. Tara simply disappeared like she always did and Quinn… She hadn't seen him in months.

It was an improvement from the beginning. For the first weeks it was awful, violent and sporadic. She was even hospitalized for her high blood pressure that eventually sent her into early labor a month later, but Leo was okay. His presence numbed the pain, at least a little, but it far from fix the hole in any of their hearts.

Sterling and Maggie had rented an apartment nearby, helping out wherever they could with the baby or coping.

_I had to go, Mom. I did it for all of us. I don't know if I'll ever come back, and, well, I love you. I love all of you, not that you all don't know that. That's why I have to do this. _

"You didn't have to do anything," Sophie muttered to herself as Leo calmed. "We could have protected you."

But she knew Anna knew it was time to start protecting herself. Sophie just hoped she was good at it.

"Sophie," Nate said softly as he stood in the doorway. She looked up at him and gave him a weak smile. He kissed her lips and ran his hand over Leo's thin baby hair. "Hey, little man."

"Anything?" she asked, a slight desperation in her tone.

Nate didn't say anything, holding her closer. They ran into another one of Anna's "self-destruct" buttons. It was almost hand wrapped and marked with an "A" but Eliot and he agreed that wouldn't tell anyone. They couldn't know when Anna left the hints, but they knew they had to be from Anna. She was leaving traces, panic buttons, to stop the mess she's helping make.

That was his girl. That was why he let her go. He let her protect their family and she would bring down Moreau as she did. Still, his daughter could be dying, or dead.

"I want her back, Nate," Sophie told him as she leaned against him. "We need her back."

Nate made no attempt to make empty promises, he just held her close and kissed the back of her head.

*Anna*

I picked up my clothes on the floor and looked at Moreau still sleeping on the bed. This was what I had become.

"I could tell them where you are. We can do it now. We can end this."

It was true. I was as high up and respected as I could possibly be, but I was scared. My hands shook as I pulled my jeans back on and turned around.

"Are they still safe? How's Mom? Leo? Can we keep them out of this?"

Tara thought about this. She stayed close by since I left, working her way up like a personal assistant to me. It was comforting to have her near. It was the smallest piece of home that keeps me looking to her for help. She respected me in a way she let me lead the grift. Big girl decisions like sleeping with the enemy to gain the upper hand. Of course she never told me I was selling my soul, she knew I already knew it.

"They're going to be alright, as long as they get you back."

I looked back at the man on the bed. "Okay." Taking a deep breath I tilted my head. "I need a staff meeting."

Tara gave me a coy smile. She was a knight, most definitely, but she was very willing to choose loyalty. My role as black queen was only as good as my poker face. But hey, I knew my game and it was time to start really playing.

"Staff meeting. On account of what ma'am?" Tara asked as I ran my hands through my messy hair.

I walked over to Moreau, still sleeping peacefully. My hands ran over the scruff on his face as he slept on his stomach. Three months I've thought about what I could do to him as he slept next to me. He felt safe because he knew Tara was nearby and knew that she wouldn't let anything happen to him. At least at first. Then he really thought I cared him. He thought that I was his and we were going to take the world by storm. I had that effect on people.

I could make anyone in the world trust me, yet I've learned to trust so few.

Slowly, I patted his scruffy cheek awake. His eyes fluttered open to mine and he smiled. "Good morning," I told him sweetly.

He smiled sleepily up at me. "Why did you wake me so early?"

I stroked his face and smiled at him. "I just wanted to let you know, I'm calling a staff meeting."

He looked interested. "New idea? You know I love your ideas."

Of course he did. "I had this brilliant idea," I told him. My grin got wider and my eyes got colder. "Time for a change in management."

In a single motion, my hand caught just beside his chin and twisted his head. There was a snap before the surprise could even register on his face. Turning around, I looked at Tara. "Make the call, then go tell my family it's time we take down everything Moreau."

*TEAM*

Tara watched in shock as Anna walked over to the mirror and applied red lipstick, leaving the dead body of Moreau behind her as though it was a spilled glass of milk. She pulled a black button up on over her bare shoulder and acted as though it was nothing.

She would make that call to Nate and tell him he could have his daughter back, but in truth, she wasn't sure if Anna was really Anna anymore. Then again, this girl was never who anyone thought she was.

_**So many secrets…**_


	98. Here

Tara scheduled a staff meeting for the next day, and didn't allow herself to wonder what Anna had done with Moreau's corpse. She would not be surprised that when she returned later the body still be exactly where Anna had left it.

She had made a call to Nate to gather the others. She even sent a message to Quinn. Anna was going to come home, one way or another. But Tara needed to prepare them.

The house seemed to have less life, as Tara let herself in the front door to see the entire family waiting for her. Nate was holding Leo and Sophie held Rosalie in her arms. Quinn had lost weight and looked like he hadn't slept since Anna left.

"I've spoken with Anna," Tara said carefully.

Sophie inhaled and waited for the horrid but that she could feel coming. There was something that was wrong.

"She has set a trap so she can come home," she continued, making eye contact with everyone in the room. "I've been… close to her since she left, but I did it out of respect and loyalty to this family. That's why I needed to talk to all of you before you see her again." Tara took a deep breath and hung her head. This was, after all, her fault. "She's not herself anymore."

Hardison was extremely dissatisfied with that. "What the hell does that mean?" he snapped. "Anna's not herself? She wants to come home doesn't she?"

Tara frowned as she tried to think of a way to say this. "Of course she wants to come home, in her mind she's fought all this time for her moment to come home but… she's done some things your Anna would never do."

This time Parker was upset my Tara's comments. "She is our Anna."

The flinch Tara had told Sophie, Eliot, Nate, and Quinn, that Parker was wrong. Something had happened, something terrible, and she changed. She changed into something that scared even Tara.

"What did they do to her?" Nate asked carefully.

Tara slowly brought her head up to look at him. "He tortured her. She still wears the shock bracelets, in fact she can't get them off. He would tell her how he would kill each of you over and over again if she didn't come to him. He pushed her until he believed she followed him. It wasn't even what he did to her. It was what he made her do. She killed four people, random people Moreau had chosen, because of the threat on your life. He forced her… he forced her to... be his." She gave a quick glance to Eliot and Quinn. "I don't even know how she did it, but in five months she went from prisoner to ruler. The man fell in love with her, and she let him."

Eliot gritted his teeth. "That bastard… if he even so much as touched-"

Tara's eyes went down in shame. The whole team went rigid. "She slept with him for the last couple months…"

"I'll kill him." The voice was distant and raspy. It took them all a second to realize it was Quinn that had said it. "I'll rip his throat out."

There was more shame on Tara's face. "That won't be necessary."

Tara went over to the lap top and put her flash drive in the computer. She pulled up a video of the scene that had happened maybe a half hour ago.

Sophie gasped as she saw her little girl on the screen, pulling on a pair of jeans and walking around the room like she was familiar with it. Anna's hair was cut to her shoulders now, and she seemed to have almost no fat on her body, but well toned muscle. There was still a body in the bed and Tara was standing by the door. She turned up the volume to hear the dialog.

"_Are they still safe?" _Anna asked. If it was possible, her voice had changed slightly. It was deeper and colder. More businesslike than anything. _"How's Mom? Leo? Can we keep them out of this?"_

Sophie's heart broke. Her daughter had just spent the night with a man more than twice her age and she was worried about her.

Nate on the other hand felt guilty. No, he felt like he was already in a hell. He had put his daughter through this. He had allowed it to happen. Eliot looked equally shameful, but because he was suppose to protect the team and he had failed. There was no protecting Anna anymore.

"_They're going to be alright as long as they get you back," _Tara replied to her as Anna looked back at Moreau. Even from the security camera, Sophie could see something in Anna's eyes.

"_Okay, I need a staff meeting."_

"_Staff meeting. On account of what ma'am?"_ Tara sounded like a true assistant to the teenage girl.

Anna ignored her and walked over to the man on the bed. She seemed to be gently waking him. She did so in a similar way Sophie did to Nate.

"_Good morning," _Anna purred in a way that made everyone in the room sick. Why were they watching this? Why did they have to see this?

"_Why did you wake me so early?" _Moreau yawned.

"_I just wanted to let you know, I'm calling a staff meeting."_

"_New idea?" _He sounded extremely interested._ "You know I love your ideas."_

Anna nodded at him as her hand gently caressed his face. _"I had a brilliant idea. Time for a change in management."_

With a technique Eliot had to say was military, Anna snapped Moreau's neck. Parker and Hardison both gasped as Anna looked down at the body for a moment then stood up again. Sophie could not believe her eyes. Eliot was stunned but not as much so as the others, Anna did the right thing. Nate was just sicker. Quinn… he was numb.

"_Make the call, then go tell my family it's time to take down everything Moreau."_

She had absolutely no regrets or feelings toward the life she had just taken behind her as she casually pulled a shit on over her black bra and applied fresh lipstick. Then the girl walked out the door to the bedroom and Tara stopped the video.

Their Anna. Their beautiful, kind, gentle Anna. Their angel. She just killed a man like it was nothing. They understood what Tara meant now, but Sophie refused to believe that her Anna was truly gone. That Moreau had managed to kill her spirit.

"She did this for you," Tara told the team. "These people, under Moreau, under her, truly respect her. She grifted her way to the top and now she's taking down the empire for you all."

Nate took a deep breath and stood up. "What does she want us to do?"

*ANNA*

The conference room was quiet as I took my spot at the head of the table. Everyone looked at me, expecting Moreau to appear at any moment. I smiled cruelly to myself. "He's not coming," I mused aloud.

Cory shot a glance at me. "What do you mean he's not coming?"

I shrugged and gave him a coy smile. "He's taking a nap. He's having some back trouble."

Some of the men to my right laughed. "Someone like you could make a man's back hurt."

My glare was enough to shut them up. "In fact, I'd like to inform you that there's be a- a shift in power," I took a seat at the table and smiled coldly at them. "You will answer to me now."

Fear spread across all of their faces. The realization had hit them. I reached into the back of my jeans and placed a black gun on the table. "You have two choices," I told them plainly. "You can sit in the room as I lock the door behind me and wait for the authorities to come get your sorry asses, or," I picked up the gun and cocked it, "you can try to leave. There is only one way out of this room and I'll be waiting."

Standing up again, I smiled as I took easy strides toward the door. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cory reach for his gun.

_BANG!_

It was an easy shot, right to the chest. The room was completely silent as Cory fell to the ground. "Anybody else?" I questioned. No one moved. Nodding, I turned back around and locked the door to the conference room.

No one would try to leave. The fed would be there in a matter of minutes thanks to Hardison. Nate would be waiting for me in a car just as soon as I made it to the lobby, and I was home free. Moreau was gone.

There was a black Altima waiting for me as I walked out of the building. The windows were tinted and my body went numb when I saw it. My heart started racing, my breathing swallowed. What was I doing? What the hell was I doing? Did I finish everything? They wouldn't come after them now, right? They were safe. My family was safe. Right?

"Anna?"

The voice almost felt like a dream. I couldn't trust my own ears anymore when I heard that voice.

"Anna, it's alright."

Slowly I turned my head. Sophie was standing next to me, one hand holding my the other around my shoulders. But I couldn't feel her. I couldn't feel anything.

"You're real, right?" I asked her dumbly as she looks at me.

She gave me a weak smile. "Yes, darling. I'm real."

Just like that, I threw myself into her arms and cried into her neck. I had cried once in five months. I hadn't felt anything, any positive thing, in five months. But the first face I see as I walk out into the world as Anna Devereaux Ford, is my mother.

My sobs are hard as I cling to her, praying she'd never let go. The terrible things I did. The terrible person I've become. The strong, evil being that was in that building, was gone. I could be Anna again. If I knew how.

I don't how long I cried. I don't know where I was truly at for that time period. But as Sophie held me, I felt like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders. Like I may have a chance again.

"It's alright, darling. You're safe. We can go home."

I don't even remember the drive home, even though it was every bit of a five hour drive. But I do remember standing by the car and looking at our house. My shock bracelets still on my wrists and my attire still very Moreau.

Sophie was a few steps ahead of me and Nate was at my side. HIss arms held my shoulders as my legs refused to move toward the home I knew and loved.

But it wasn't really mine anymore was it?

*TEAM*

It was terrifying for Sophie. The moment she saw Anna, it was almost hard to recognize her in person. The girl walked differently, her entire body moved differently. Her short hair made her look older and her business attire, the slacks and button up, just did not look like Anna. Her eyes were unfocused and the further she got from the building, the more she began to crumble. It was a panic attack. Sophie could see it.

She didn't even see her. Anna was acting like she was drowning and the car, the black Altima parked on the road waiting for them, was shore.

Sophie rushed to her, trying to seem as normal as possible as she grabbed Anna's shoulders. "Anna?"

Blank eyes looked up at her. There was nothing behind them right then. There was no fear or anger, they were completely empty. "Anna, it's alright."

Relief. Fear. Shame. Everything appeared in Anna's eyes as she threw herself into her mother's arms. She had been living in a nightmare and Sophie was the one to wake her up.

Now she just stood there, staring at the house. She hadn't even met her brother yet.

"Anna, love," Sophie tried, reaching out her hand to Anna and pulling her from her daze. "Where did you go?"

Then it happened. The smile that looked like an Anna smile, the slightly crooked goofy smile that was so familiar, appeared on her daughter's face. "Nowhere. I'm right here."

There was something wrong. So wrong. "Look, Anna, we don't have to talk about it now, but-"

"Mom," Anna said in a voice sounded completely calm. "I'm here."

It was almost as though, she couldn't believe it. Anna was home. Sophie could see the fear that no one else could. The fear that she wasn't going to be able to handle being home. That she didn't deserve to come back after what all she had done. Even if it was for them.

Nate took one hand while Sophie clutched the other. There would be a long road ahead of them, but their Anna was still in there somewhere and they'd get her back. "And we're here too."

But they didn't know everything she had done. She had shared a bed with a terrible man and snapped his neck. She had killed her own brother. Seven. She had killed seven people in the last five months. She had tortured men, used her body in ways she would never be able to forget, and she had to shut herself off to do it.

She left her soul at the door five months ago, would she be able to have it back?

_**Now, we all know that Anna is a very soft hearted girl and our Anna has to get back to normal. But who's really going to be able to help her most. She's always been a momma's girl, but I have a feeling it'll take the whole team, and maybe more, to chip away the stone wall Anna had built in order to survive. What do you think?**_


	99. Coming Home

The moment I saw Rosalie, I pulled her into my arms and gave her the biggest hug I had ever given her. She laughed and hugged me in return as she told me how much she missed me. Her words had gotten clearer since I had been gone and she had grown a few inches. Five months and I was already missing so much.

Phantom jumped against me and whined. He licked my face and knelt to pet him.

Parker was next, throwing herself at me as I tried to put Rosalie back down. I forced a smiled as I gave her a tight squeeze. I was only on my second hug and I was already beginning to feel overwhelmed.

Before I pulled away, she sniffed me. Even though it was a very Parker thing to do, I found it extremely irritating and I was even more self conscious. "You smell different," Parker commented honestly.

Something must have shown on my face because Sophie, Nate, and Eliot all gave her a warning, _"Parker!"_ But I raised my hand at them, a gesture I was realized I had brought with me from Moreau's.

"It's fine," I told them as I gave Parker a patient look. "It's probably just my clothes. I'll change in a bit."

Parker sniffed me again. "No that's not it," she said simply then skipped back to her spot while Eliot stepped up. He moved to give me hug, but I pulled back. My heart suddenly started pounding in my ears and I reminded myself to remain calm.

Eliot saw it too, but he was blocking everyone else's view, thank God. Instead of pressing, he clapped his hand on my shoulder. "It's good to have you back, kiddo."

I smiled at him even though it was extremely forced. "Missed you too."

Hardison stood up and moved toward me, completely ignoring my hesitation. He pulled me into a hug. "Course we missed ya!" Suddenly I pushed him off and sucked in a breath. I didn't know how hard I pushed him but he hit the ground and I had to gasp for air.

Everyone stared at me as I sucked in air but felt like I was still suffocating.

"Mommy, what's wrong with Nana?"

I closed my eyes, trying to force everyone out my mind. In the past few months when I was scared or overwhelmed I imagined myself back home with all these people. Now that I was here, I didn't have a safe place to escape to in my mind. I was there and even though I couldn't convince myself that I was okay.

Hardison moved toward me but I flinched back again, holding my hand out to keep him back.

"Stop," Eliot told him. I looked up to see him pulling Hardison back. "Let Sophie." He glanced back to Sophie and she was watching me. She was completely calm, her eyes gentle even as I struggled.

She stepped toward me and I didn't pull away from her as she took my hand. Even I didn't know why I was alright with her touching me.

Her thumb ran over my knuckles as she guided me to her, not really pulling, but helping me to the floor. I still was gasping for air and tears were rolling down my cheeks. My body was braced against the cabinet as she ran her hand over my face.

"Anna, I need you to focus on me," Sophie commanded through my haze. I looked over at Nate who also seemed to be patiently watching me, Eliot making sure he didn't approach. Parker held Rosalie and there was the whimper of a small baby somewhere in the room.

A gentle hand turned my face to look back at Sophie.

*TEAM*

They prepared themselves for this. Eliot knew this would happen and had discussed it with the others. Sophie was Anna's safe place, more than the rest. She was the rock much of what Anna's trust was built on and they needed to use that rock to break the wall she was guarding herself.

Sophie watched as Anna's eyes went blank. She was somewhere in her head again and it was painful. But as fast as she had left them, she returned.

Slowly she began to focus on Sophie again. Anna looked up at Sophie and went to her arms. Anna wrapped her arms around Sophie's neck as Nate calmed Leo.

"I think… I think I should try and rest," Anna said finally as she pulled away from Sophie, giving her a weak smile. The tears in her eyes were gone, instead they were cold again. "I'll see you all at dinner. Six right?"

She looked at Eliot who gave her a brief nod before she just headed up the steps like she was never gone.

Everyone exchanged looks as Sophie took Leo from Nate. Eliot waited until Anna was completely out of earshot to give Hardison a good shove backward. "What the hell, man? I had just told you to watch her for reactions and you ignored her! You pushed her too far!"

"How the hell was I supposed to know, man?" Hardison snapped back. "She was smiling!"

"It was forced!" Eliot shot back, giving him another shove. "Any idiot could have seen that if they were looking!"

"Boys, enough," Nate commanded as Parker hugged Rosalie close. They were all a little shaken up by the scene that had just happened, but fighting wasn't going to make it better. "She's home. Let's focus on that."

Sophie held Leo and looked up at the steps Anna used to escape. "Well, let's hope plan B works better than plan A."

Anna walked into her bedroom and looked around at it. It was exactly like she had left it, except her bed had been made. It had the Sophie touch, everything perfect down to the placement of the pillows. It had been done and redone. The sheets had been changed and kept fresh. There was no dust on anything.

It made her feel unbearably guilty. This room was all her mother had of her while she was gone. She fixated on it, kept it prepared for when Anna returned to them.

Many times when children go missing their room becomes like a shrine, never changing for years. The clothes the child tossed on the floor kept there, the sheets never changed so they could hold onto their scent.

"She sat in here for days. For all any of us knew you were dead."

Anna closed her eyes as she prepared herself for the fight. "I'm sorry, Quinn."

He was leaning against the doorway, looking like a ghost of a man. Anna didn't know why, but she was finding it even harder than normal to be in close proximities to him. There was something about the way he looked at her now.

She found it impossible to read and it infuriated her. More than anything she wanted to push him up against the wall and force her body against his, explore his mouth with her tongue and whisper things into his ear that would make the old Anna blush.

A lot of what Anna thought and did today was nothing like the old Anna. Like the room she was standing in. Old Anna loved it. The bay window that let out onto the tree that she had let Quinn in several times over the last summer now felt more like a vulnerability. The vintage furniture no longer made her heart flutter like it used to. The picture on her dresser no longer felt like hers. This room belonged to a person that had left many months ago.

"No, you're not. You're not sorry at all, but that's okay." Quinn pushed himself off the wall and took a step toward her.

Yes, she looked different with short hair and the weight loss, but he could see the old Anna in her deep brown eyes. She was scared, terrified actually, but she was definitely there. This shell she was layering herself in hadn't swallowed the real Anna. Yet.

Sophie put Leo down for his nap and Nate was taking care of Rosalie. The house felt eerily quiet, even though it was at a greater capacity than normal.

"If you came to apologize for hiding my daughter from me, you can save your apology," Sophie snapped at the new presence behind her.

Tara looked away. She deserved everything she got. At times she wondered if she did the right thing, but the fact everyone was still breathing was enough for her to know she was.

"Tell me what he did to her," Sophie hissed, still refusing to at the woman she once considered her friend.

"Sophie, you don't want to know," Tara replied softly. "I wish I didn't."

Sophie scoffed at her. "The only reason you are even allowed in my house is because Anna is alive. Something I am so grateful for, so incredibly grateful for, but-"

Tara shook her head and crossed her arms. "I let Anna do this, so if you want to hate me, go ahead, but Anna did all this for you. So quit putting all your guilt on me and grow up, Soph."

Angry sparks ignited in Sophie's eyes and she grabbed Tara's arm to drag her out the door, shutting it firmly behind her, trying not to wake the baby.

"Me grow up? Isn't making one person in this house grow up enough for you? I have every right to be upset!" Sophie snapped at her, her words venomous. "You don't have kids, you don't know Anna like I know Anna. You didn't sit up with her when she cried about her fear of becoming her parents, or hold her after she was nearly raped on a job. You take responsibility of Anna and you let some of her worst fears happen to her."

For the longest time, Tara had herself convince that she had done the right thing. She had truly convinced herself that letting Anna take the pain for her parents, to keep them self… but maybe she was wrong.

"You were just trying to save yourself, quit pretending that you weren't," Sophie spat. "You don't have kids. You don't stay up at night worrying about them when they're in the next room or you don't know where they are. You've never know how hard it is to love something so fragile. You don't know."

Tara wanted more than anything to have an agreement and somehow manage to tell Sophie just how wrong she was, but she lacked any argument that was worth a damn. In fact, she felt like she wasn't worth a damn at all.

"Sophie… I…" An apology wasn't good enough. "I don't know what to say…"

Sophie gave her half a shrug. "Nothing to say, Tara, but it may be time for you to grow up."

It may have been one of the coldest things Sophie had ever said to a friend, but at the moment, she didn't feel much like a friend to her or her family. Tara knew it was time for her to go.

"Take care of Half-Pint," Tara told her, turning on her heels and heading for the steps.

Five months… She had let it happen for five months. She kept the girl alive, but just the outer shell. The words of Moreau crept into her mind…

"_They grow on you."_

"_Ha. Like a cancer."_

A cancer that killed him. Maybe he was the cancer… maybe he infected her.

Sophie brushed her hair as Nate took care of the baby. Quinn had left hours ago, but Anna didn't come out of her room, even for dinner. Sophie had opened the door just enough to let Phantom in to see his master, but Anna was just curled up on her bed and didn't even turn to look at her. It was plausible that Anna was just tired, but it was even more plausible that Anna wasn't ready to be bombard at dinner with Maggie and Sterling too.

Sophie smiled at Nate as he came into the room and kissed her softly. "Leo's asleep and Rose is curled up with Teddy. She fell asleep on the floor but I think she can just sleep there for the night. She made a nice little fort."

Sophie chuckled. "The other day she and I had an entire pillow and blanket fort covering her bedroom the other day. I was so worn out by the end of the day, I thought I was going to have to call you to come carry me to bed and take care of Leo."

He watched her as she pulled the blanket back and sat on the bed, still smiling at the memory. "I'm very glad Anna's back to help." She slid under the covers as Nate turned off the light. "Rose was so upset that she didn't spend more time with her. Anna, I mean. She stayed close to Parker all night and then she'd just come and ask me if Anna was coming down. The thing is, I think Anna would have if we didn't have the whole flock probing her for information."

Nate could see Anna running through a million things in her mind. Beating herself up for allowing the whole brood over for dinner. "It was too much for her… We should have just started with us, her family."

Nate put his arm around her as she rested her head on his chest. "Sophie, they are all her family. She knows we meant well."

She groaned. "I hate that bloody term. _Meaning well_. Tara meant well. Sometimes it just causes more harm than good."

"Sophie," Nate warned lightly. "Let's not get into this. I let her go too, remember?"

Sophie rolled over and didn't face Nate. "I try to forget that," she muttered. "I'm trying very hard not to hate you too."

Nate turned over and rubbed her back. "You could never hate me."

"Letting my seventeen year old daughter walk up to Moreau and offer herself to him, I could very much hate you for that." The ice in her words told him that she was having difficulty forgiving him and he may be pressing his luck mentioning it to her.

"Sophie, Moreau would have killed us all. You and Rose. Leo would have never had a chance. Anna couldn't let that happen and I wasn't going to stop her. I don't agree with Tara, I would have shot Moreau before he touched Anna, but I refuse to say that I didn't do the right thing."

Nate watched Sophie roll over again and face him. "Tara tried to tell me the same thing and I all but threw her out on her ass. We should be able to protect our family and ourselves. It should never be the child protecting the parents."

She was right, but he refused to believe he was completely wrong. "Sophie, she made this decision and I wasn't going to stop her when we both know more lives could have been lost, including hers."

Sophie didn't say a word, just closed her eyes and took Nate's hand in both of hers. She kissed his hand as he ran his thumb over her lower lip. "People do odd things out of love, Sophie. We should be proud to have such a strong daughter that loves us as much as she does."

Nate wrapped his arms around and pulled her flush against him. "Moreau is dead, Cory is dead, our daughter left traps in every direction to put an end to Moreau's plans, and she survived. It's hard, but it's not impossible to get back to our old life. Anna's a strong girl, and she has a strong mom to keep her on track."

Sophie smiled and kissed his lips hungrily. "And I have a great lover who knows how to make me love him when I try to hate him. What a great addition to my heroic daughter and ornery toddler who thinks she can do anything?"

Nate laughed and kissed her in return as he rolled her onto her back and kneeled above her on all fours. She giggled excitedly as he smirked at her. "Are you trying to tell me Leo's the only good one?"

She laughed. "You all have your qualities."

At about two in the morning, Leo started his hungry cry and Sophie sat up sleepily. It had gotten easier to wake up every night, but it made dealing with extremely grumpy Rosalie in the morning difficult. Nate also rolled over and put a hand on Sophie's shoulder. "I'm up, I'll get him."

She gave him a smile and a kiss on the lips. "Well, I'm up too. I'll check on Rose and Anna if you get your son."

Nate ran a hand down her face and cupped her chin. "We have our family again," he told her softly. Sometimes he knew just what she needed to hear. They had all of their kids right there together for the first time in five long months. "You are beautiful."

She laughed at him. "And you are sleep deprived," she teased then pulled off the blankets and stepped onto the floor. "Come on, parenthood calls."

The nursery was the first room outside their own, pleasantly decorated with an adorable zoo theme that Sophie hand painted on the walls. She was talented with her art and it was something she wanted to share with her children. Rose was more interested in art now, and showed some promise in it, but Anna would always hold music closest. Even if Leo didn't hold an artistic bone in his body, his parents would be sure to teach him to admire and appreciate. Whether it be his sisters' art or his mothers, or even Van Gogh Leo would learn to appreciate it.

Sophie watched as her lover picked up their son with the gentlest of hands and cuddled him close. Nate had a bit of a trouble looking at the blue eyed boy and not seeing Sam, but soon all he saw was Leo. Leo Nathanial Ford.

"I'll go make the bottle and be back to check on the girls," Sophie told him heading for the steps.

She was measuring out formula when she noticed the doors to the sunroom open. The sound of rain hitting the tile told her that the outside door was open too. A smile slowly crept to her lips. It was a familiar reminder that Anna was home.

She was singing in Italian, a soft familiar song that Sophie had heard her sing before. Stepping onto the cold tile she saw Anna sitting on the back porch, barefoot, and wearing her short hair curl and wild. The tune ended and she continued humming it as her hand ran down Phantom's back. Such a loyal dog. He sat proudly beside his master, staring out with great interest at the rain, like his master.

Her bare feet were going up and down in the warm rain puddle. Sophie took a step outside on the warm deck. The humidity made the air thick, and Anna's curls slightly frizzy. It was just too nice to see a glimpse of her without the dark cloud that hung over her.

"It's good to be home, Mom," Anna said softly, casting a look over to her mother.

Sophie took a seat next to her. "I'm so glad you're home," Sophie replied, taking her daughter's hand and holding it between them. "Leo woke us and I'm supposed to be getting your father a bottle for him, but…"

Nate would realize she was held up and get a bottle soon enough. "You could come up and feed the baby if you'd like," Sophie offered realizing that Anna still hasn't seen the baby. "He looks just like Nate. Two brown eyed girls and a blue eyed baby boy. All with brown curls…"

"He's perfect, isn't he?" Anna asked, almost sounding concerned that he wouldn't be.

Sophie was confused by her question. "You're all perfect."

"But he's… fragile…"

Again, Sophie reached out to her. "Anna, we're all fragile."

Anna just sighed feeling like Sophie was being difficult, but Sophie knew exactly what she meant. "No matter how old you are, no matter what happens, you will always be my baby. Like Leo and Rosalie. I'm your momma no matter how big you get."

Sophie held Anna close and kissed her hair. Soon Anna was holding her just as tightly, resting her head on her mother's chest. Sophie didn't want to let her go as they listened to the rain hit the ground.

"I'm not going to be very good at this family stuff for a while, Mom," Anna mumbled as she clung tightly to her mother. "I just don't know what to say to anyone. Nothing's familiar anymore and Quinn's right, I'm apathetic."

Sophie shook her head and held her close. "You, Anna, are far from apathetic. You're one of the most empathetic darling which is why you don't want to be close to people right now." Taking a deep breath, Sophie stroked Anna's hair. "You can see their pain even through their smiles and you think you're responsible, but you're not. Moreau is."

Sophie knew that it wouldn't matter how many times she reminded Anna, it would take her grinding it into her own head a hundred more times. The seed had been planted in her brain, it would just take a bit of time for Anna to accept the fact Sophie was right. But she would eventually see that her mother was right.

Until then, it would be a bit of push and shove.

Nate smiled as he finished making the bottle with his free hand and looked out at his girls sitting on the back porch. He pointed his finger at the two girls curled up next to each other and held Leo up to see. "You have quite the Mom and sister. Your mom needs your sister and your sister needs your mom more than two people I've ever seen. You won't understand this, but I think they both were the first people they learned to love after being hurt so many times."

The baby gurgled and smiled as Nate started feeding him. "That Anna, you're gunna have to watch her. She'll teach you all kinds of things that will get you into trouble. Hopefully you'll get some of your grandmother's genes and not be as much of a trouble maker as your parents."

He smiled at the baby continued to eat happily, not even noticing Anna and Sophie walking into the kitchen. "I think I keep things interesting," Anna teased with a crooked smile before kissing her mother's cheek. "I better go back to bed. I'm sure I should apologize to Maggie and Sterling for my absence at dinner, and Olivia."

Nate and Sophie exchanged humorous smiles at the sound of disgust at the mention of Olivia's name.

But the familiar sad smile appeared on Anna's face as she moved toward the steps, never getting anywhere near the baby. "Goodnight."

She snapped her fingers and Phantom trotted behind her to bed.

Sophie went over to Nate and ran her finger down little Leo's nose and frowned a little. "She's leery of Leo."

"She's leery of a lot right now," Nate replied. "But our Anna's in there, and she's coming out."

_**Anna leery of the baby? Sounds odd, but it's true. Plus Anna has some patch work to do with a lot more than just Quinn, but also Libby. Will Tara be able to patch things up with the family?**_


	100. Help

HAPPY CHAPTER 100!

_First I would like to apologize. During finals week I fell asleep at my laptop and dumped my extremely expensive coffee on my even more expensive computer. The keyboard was fried and I only just got my new computer in. Thank you for your patience. _

There were many things that Sophie never thought she'd be doing. She never thought she would be a mother, first of all. Motherhood just never really seemed like her forte no matter what the team said about her habits of mothering them. In her mind, before Anna, motherhood seemed more like a punishment than a blessing. It was like a handicap to her. Not that she saw mothers as handicap, but as a grifter it was just too much of a risk.

But Anna came along and changed that. Suddenly it wasn't a matter of being weak, but being strong enough to let herself love someone so fragile. Being a mother was the hardest job thing she ever decided to do, but falling in love with her children was the easiest.

Sophie also never saw herself as the type of woman that would spend her Sunday mornings helping making breakfast with the man she loved. She thought that family time was something that wouldn't pass her lips again since the last time she said it when she was a child. She never thought she would get teary from a toddler looking up at her and saying, "I wanna be just like you, Momma."

When she was young, and she dared to fantasize about a future, a romantic future with a man. It didn't involve having three kids, especially when two of which weren't even her blood. It didn't involve dirty diapers or midnight feedings. It didn't include three full grown adult-children that invaded in her love life sometimes just as often as their real children. And it really didn't include less than three hours of sleep.

But, Sophie couldn't be happier. She and Nate were more in love that a younger Sophie could have imagined existed, they were crazy about all of their children, and they were raising the world's next generation of super criminals to do right by the world. Granted she was happier than she could have imagined, but she was also more exhausted.

Nate smiled as Sophie flipped the pancakes, waiting for the girls to wake up. "You," he whispered in her ear as Leo contently sat in his bouncer chewing on his teething ring, "are the most beautiful creature."

"Even sleep deprived and still working on losing my pregnancy pounds?" she questioned sleepily.

Nate rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You look beautiful. And you have your glow back now that Anna's home."

Immediately a smile spread across her lips because she knew he was right. In fact, she was under her pregnancy weight and she felt like she registered a cloud nine status now that her little girl was home. She had completely lost her appetite when Anna was gone, fear and an odd sense of mourning taking away her will. But now she was home...

Sophie added a pancake to the stack she had and poured more batter into the frying pan. "This is the last pancake before I start crepes for me and Anna."

She turned her head and looked back up at Nate by her shoulder. He leaned in and kissed her lips, but didn't really want to pull away. It wasn't passionate, it was intimate.

"I love you," he told her, a smile playing gently on his lips as his eyes reinforced his words.

*Anna*

I had been sitting against the wall between the kitchen and living room just listening for a long time now. It was so weird to be home, but it was even weirder that I was actually melting back into home.

As hard as life had been while I was gone, this house still held my sanity and peace of mind. It was so easy to lose myself in it, but at the same time there was this voice in the back of my head reminding me that I had to stay alert and on guard.

I must have been caught in my own thoughts, because suddenly Rosalie was standing in front of me wearing her navy pajama shorts and her "Daddy's Princess" t-shirt. "What are you doing, Nana?" she asked sleepily as she rolled back and forth on her bare feet.

"Thinking," I replied simply, getting to my feet before Nate or Sophie found us both. Rosalie hugged herself to me and looked up at me.

"You're never going to leave again, are you?" Rosalie asked me, slightly fearful of the answer.

I hesitated a bit. "Not anytime soon, love," I replied vaguely. It wasn't fair to promise anything to her when I wasn't sure I could keep.

Nate had his arms around Sophie's waist as I entered the room. His head was on her shoulder both looking grinning as their eyes stayed toward the stove as his hands held her stomach. They loved each other whole heartedly.

"Good morning," I told them, though they didn't even move from each other.

"Morning, darling," Sophie replied giving Nate light elbow to the gut so he'd let go.

"Morning, Daddy," Rosalie told Nate, moving toward him and holding her hands up so he'd hold her.

Sophie gave Rosalie a look. "So I not get a good morning, little girl?"

Rose gave her a slightly evil grin as she smacked a kiss on Nate's cheek. Sophie laughed and shook her head. "Such a daddy's girl."

I laughed and went over to Sophie. She smiled and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. I leaned into her a bit and gave her a smile. "At least you've got me," I teased.

Sophie kissed my hair and smiled. There was a look between Nate and Sophie that I couldn't read. But I knew it had something to do with me.

For a moment, I looked over at Leo sitting contently in his bouncer, chewing on his lime green teething ring. He had chubby cheeks and eyes as blue as Nate's. But he had Sophie's olive skin, he had our olive skin. The olive skin that Rose also had. Leo had Nate's spiral curls and they were the same brown too, well if you ignored the hints of gray in Nate's. But those eyes. She just couldn't get over it. There were three children in my family now and only one of them was blood to our parents. Somewhere in my mind, I was told to feel threatened, but I knew I was safe with my parents and they loved all of us. But that little boy.

I really did love him, I loved him since the moment I knew about him, but it would be so easy to hurt him. I was so used to hurting people, in fact it seemed to be a skill of mine.

"Anna?" Sophie must have been saying my name for sometime because she was holding my plate out for me as I shook myself from some sort of daze. I blinked as I looked up at her. She gave me an odd look then looked over to see where I was looking at. She seemed to consider this without emotion, probably for the best.

"Let's eat," she said simply,

By noon the team was at that house and Quinn was at my side. I always loved when he was lose but now it felt different. It was like I was drawn to his presence and I couldn't bear to stay away for long. Every time he was near I had to be closer. Our legs touched as I sat next to him in the chair. His arm was around my shoulders and my hand resting on his knee.

Nate now longer gave Quinn a look that quite plainly said "Don't hurt my daughter." Instead Nate offered him drink when he sat down and didn't even say a word when Quinn gave me a short kiss against my temple.

Eliot watched, but not as intensely as he used to. Hardison at least acknowledged him now and Parker, well Parker always liked Quinn. She never had a problem with him as long as I was happy. Sophie always wanted what was best for me and now it just seemed to be Quinn.

Phantom laid his head in my lap and exhaled his awful dog breath. I couldn't help but smile as I patted his head.

*TEAM*

Anna was trying so hard to be her normal self for everyone else. When Maggie and Sterling arrived with Olivia in tote, she greeted them with hugs. But they weren't the usual excited embraces that Anna usually threw at them. Instead they were a polite hugs that held a sort of false warmth. Even Olivia received a polite smile and hug, not a smart comment.

It seemed painfully obvious to Anna that everyone was watching for signs that Anna was going to crack. There were nervous glances, filtered with a flash of a smile. All they did was frustrate Anna and remind her that she was weak.

But Quinn didn't make her feel weak. He didn't give her that nervous glance or comforting smile. His eyes would directly meet hers and it was like they were alone in the world promising each other that things would be alright.

Sophie saw the way he looked at her. It was the way all women dream of being looked at. Like the sun rose and set in Anna, like she was the keeper of the secret for life. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that he would do anything in the world for her and he loved her more than he knew how.

Nate knew the look also. It was the look that possibly ended his marriage with Maggie. It made him just as upset as Maggie when he realized his heart had been stolen by a beautiful grifter. Though he stayed physically loyal to his marriage, his heart had already decided what it wanted long before his marriage was over. Sophie was his compass. He was her black knight.

He had fought the feelings for a long time, but the moment, that one moment of weakness in San Lorenzo, and suddenly it became difficult to breathe without her.

As much as he was allowing it to happen, Nate couldn't say he agreed with the way Quinn looked at Anna. His little girl was not old enough to be looked at like that, or maybe Nate wasn't ready for his little girl to be seen the way Quinn saw her. It meant Nate was that much closer to having to give her up.

"It's good to have you back sweetie," Maggie told her, as Anna smoothed down the skirt of her blue sundress. It was a Paris import. The lace around shoulders with the teal embroidery screamed French and Sophie was dying for her to wear it.

"It's good to be back," she replied softly, seeming to be a bit afraid of her words.

Then her eyes darted across the room to Sophie who gave her an encouraging smile. This seemed to help a bit as Anna sat a little straighter.

Maggie watched with pleasure. Anna was certainly a momma's girl, probably would always be. Maggie could just imagine Anna as a grown woman coming home and curling up against Sophie on the couch, sharing stories and catching up with everyday life.

"Nana," Rosalie asked running up to Anna and grabbing her hand. "Come outside with me?"

It wasn't much of a question as Rosalie began to pull and Anna began to laugh. "I'm supposed to be visiting with Aunt Maggie and Sterling."

"Oh no, it's alright," Maggie told her. "Your sister missed you."

Anna glanced over at Nate and Sophie who gave her a brief nod.

She allowed Rosalie to pull her up, but snatched Quinn's hand as she took off running. He was yanked out of the chair and pulled along behind them. Phantom was hot on their heels.

"You're going to lose your dog too when those two get married," Sterling smirked as the storm door shut behind them.

Nate shook his head. "I'm not ready to talk about any of my children getting married," he sighed as Sophie just held her knowing smile. "What?" he asked raising an eyebrow. "Are you?"

She shrugged. "Maybe I'm more accepting of it than you are that Anna's not quite a kid anymore." Then she gave him a very pointed look. "And if my daughter gets married before us, there will be no wedding at all."

Maggie, Eliot, and Sterling laughed while Nate gave her a smirk. "If Anna got married before us, there wouldn't be a wedding because I'd die of a heart attack."

Parker looked over at Hardison. "Isn't Anna almost grown up? When she turns eighteen she's an adult in the eyes of the law."

Sterling scoffed. "Anna has been an adult in the eyes of the law since she committed her first felony."

Parker's eyes widened. "You mean I've been an adult since I was six?"

Hardison shook his head. "There's something wrong with you. You're not even an adult now. Hell, you'll never grow up."

She spun around to look at him. "Like Peter Pan? Think I can fly?"

"NO!" the room suddenly shouted back at her, startling Leo awake.

The grumpy whimpers of the infant made Sophie look at her watch. It was time to feed him anyway. Sophie sighed and picked Leo up out of his bouncer. "I better go feed this little guy," she told Nate, giving him a brief kiss and moving toward the kitchen.

Maggie jumped up. "I'll go with you."

As they entered the kitchen, Maggie looked over at Sophie. "How is she doing, really?" she asked as Sophie shifted Leo to reach of the powdered formula.

Sophie sighed. "She's Anna," she replied. "She's trying to sort it out in her head, and she wants to do it with as little help as possible."

Leo cooed as he looked up at his mother and Maggie's heart melted. "I bet she's eaten up with her little brother though," she commented, helping Sophie out and taking Leo from her so she could make the bottle a bit easier.

Sophie only seemed more down by the comment. There was a silent "drop it" that rang loud and clear in Maggie's ears. The tension in their relationship that had been there during Anna's birthday had mostly disappeared and she was not willing risking bring it back. Besides, Maggie was finding her own happiness with James and Olivia. Olivia was not usually the cold and snotty teenager she appeared to be while around Anna. In fact she had some warm moment that reminded Maggie a lot of Anna. Though, she never expected to have the mother daughter relationship Sophie and her had.

"You really are a lucky woman," Maggie told Sophie who seemed to be overly focused on making the bottle.

"With a lot of bad luck," she muttered back sadly.

"Oh, come on, Mom," Anna said suddenly appearing in the sunroom doorway. "You're not _that_ upset I'm home, are you?"

The teasing in her voice made Sophie smile as Anna playfully held Rosalie under her arm and Phantom licked her face. The toddlers giggles filled the room and melted the stress away.

"Well, I guess not. I just beginning to like the idea of turning your room into a quilting station."

Anna burst out laughing. "You, quilting?" she rolled her eyes as she spun on her heels toward the backyard again. "Did Picasso tap dance?"

Maggie and Sophie both started laughing and shook their heads. That girl.

In the living room, Sterling looked over at Nate. "So, how is Anna really?"

Nate shrugged. "How do you think she is? She's been gone for five months, forced to do whatever it took to survive. Sophie keeps telling me that Anna's in there somewhere, but I almost hate for her to try so hard to be the person she used to be if it's just going to hurt her more."

"She's tough."

Nate glanced over his shoulder at Olivia. She looked sad, just as heartbroken as the rest of them. Her eyes were down and her arms were crossed over her chest. Sterling nodded, first to Olivia then to Nate. "She is."

Eliot looked toward the kitchen. "This is Anna we're talking about. She may not be Sophie's blood, but she sure the hell has her will."

The whole room smiled at that. "Damn straight. Anna's been through hell, but she's got us!" Hardison added giving Parker a high-five.

Then Parker looked a little sad. "I... I really missed her when she was gone, but now that she's back I still kinda miss her."

Hardison put his arm around her shoulders. "I know exactly what you mean, mama."

Nate nodded. "We all do. The person who may be comforting to Anna right now Sophie doesn't want anywhere near her."

Olivia snorted. "I don't want Tara anywhere near her either. She was an enabler in this."

There was a smile shared between Sterling and Nate. Olivia held a true fondness for Anna. They may not really like each other but they held the sort of relationship with the mentality of "Only I can pick on you". Still, Nate knew Tara wasn't the only one at fault."

"Anna wanted to save us. She didn't want anyone to get hurt because of her. Tara understood this and let her go. If Anna doesn't regret her decision, if Anna still has respect for Tara, so should we," Nate explained.

Hardison shook his head. "You don't really believe that do you?"

"Anna is self sacrificing. We all expected her to do it in the back of our mind," Eliot replied with a shrug.

Parker looked even more upset, probably because she knew it was true and hated she still didn't stop her. Anna and Parker has a strong relationship and when Anna left without saying anything, well, Parker took it a little personally. But now she understood. Anna didn't want someone to talk her out of it. She needed someone who would let her take the lead.

It was one of those moment that Parker had to remember that Anna was a lot more grown up than she was a year ago. By the look on everyone else's face in the room, she wasn't the only one.

Anna was polite and kind throughout the whole get together. When Maggie and Sterling left, Anna gave them a brave smile, one that Olivia take at face value. To everyone's surprise, the two girls took a long look at each other, then held each other in a tight hug.

"I can see straight through that poker face, Ann," Olivia whispered into her ear as they held each other.

"It's not a poker face," Anna replied softly. "It's my new chess strategy."

Olivia nodded and gave her one last squeeze. "What is done is done; and the egg cracked cannot be cured."

Anna pulled back as she laughed. "The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood?" she questioned making Olivia nod in reply, smiling with pride.

Anna thought for a moment then patted Olivia on the head. "You are only given one little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it."

Olivia gave her a funny look. "Was that from Robin Hood too?"

Anna smirked and shook her head. "That was from Robin _Williams._"

Laughter flooded the room as Maggie, Sterling and Olivia waved goodbye.

Sophie was so proud of Anna. She had done so well, but she wasn't sure if she should comment on it or not. She decided against for the moment and said goodnight to everyone so she could put the children to bed.

Everyone else had left and it was just Anna and Quinn sitting on the back porch swing. She was curled into his side with her feet underneath her, his arm around her shoulders as she closed her eyes.

She felt safe with him. Not that she didn't feel a lot safer now that she was home in general, but she felt truly safe with him.

He thought she was asleep and thought it would be a good time to carry her up to her bed, or at least to the couch.

As he shifted, her grip on his shirt tightened. "Don't go, Damien."

Instantly, he froze. His stomach flipped and knotted and his hands turned to fists. It took more strength than he thought he had to not grab her by the shoulders, shake her awake, and demand to know _why _she would ask Damien Moreau not to leave her.

*ANNA*

I had realized my mistake a moment too late, but I didn't dare acknowledge it. Instead I pretended to sleep against his chest as I prayed he wouldn't say anything either.

He shifted again, and this time pulled me into his arms. He carried me all the way upstairs to my room and laid me on my bed. He even tucked me in. I knew he had to have heard me, but he wasn't saying a word or asking any questions.

"Goodnight, Anna," he whispered, pecking my lips softly.

I could feel he had so much more to say, but he couldn't.

The moment the door closed, I rolled over on my side and pulled my knees to my chest. What a stupid mistake I had made. There were so many stupid mistakes I had made in the past months and-

Suddenly my breathing became erratic and I knew I had to calm down before I sent myself into another panic attack.

But how? I had just called Quinn Damien and I had tried all day. I had tried so hard to be fine all day. I wasn't fine! I felt like I was NEVER fine! Fine. _Fine. _**Fine. **_**FINE!**_Stupid word that shoudn't even exist because I was NOT FINE!

I sat up as my heart pounded in my ears, my hands clutching either side of my face as I rocked back and forth on my bed.

I was never going to be fine again. Did they all know that? I felt like it was written all over me.

_Anna will never be ok. _

_She was so fragile to begin with._

_She's __**broken.**_

I was broken. I was unfixable. If I was a problem before I'm a nuisance now.

My heart kept getting louder as I pulled at my short hair.

_Why did he have to cut my bloody hair?!_

My emotional pain was tearing me apart. I couldn't breathe. Everything was falling in around me and I couldn't hear anything but the sound of my heart screaming in my ears.

I felt like the pain wouldn't end until it found a way out of me.

I rolled over again, falling onto my knees on the hardwood floor of my bedroom. Frantically, I pulled boxes out from underneath my bed, hot tears rolling down my face, unwelcomed and uncontrolled.

Finally I found it.

It had been a gift from Eliot. It was such a pretty thing. So shiny I could see my darkened reflection in the side.

I had to let the pressure out of my body before it came tearing through my skin. I had never thought of this before, well not seriously, but I was desperate. My skin was going to burn away with the emotion if I didn't let it out.

_"Don't go, Damien."_

The only time I was safe at night was when I was with him. At least it was just him then. It wasn't two or three of his men, or a drunken dare to get at the bosses girl.

I ran my finger onto the tip and exhaled hard.

_"Do it!" _It was Moreau's voice in my head now. I could nearly feel him over my shoulder, his hand over mine, guiding me with the blade and telling me what to do. _"Go across and I'm gone tonight, go down and I'm gone forever."_

His chuckle in my brain my me flinch.

It could be over... Done...

Then suddenly, I heard something.

It wasn't Moreau's sinister laugh in my ear, or my pounding heart. No... it was... crying.

Leo was crying.

I dropped the blade on the floor and walked over to my door. I pulled it open and walked down the hallway, almost in a daze.

Leo's door was open and I could see him kicking his little feet as he looked up at the mobile, forgetting whatever had made him cry only second ago. He reached up like he could touch it, but didn't seem frustrated when he was just too far away.

I glanced toward Sophie and Nate's room, but then took a step into the nursery.

As I leaned over the crib, Leo looked over at me. He had a big grin on his face and he laughed as I tucked my hair behind my ear.

"Hello there," I said softly. My face was still flushed and sticky from tears, but I was no longer crying.

He cooed and smiled some more.

"I guess we haven't really been introduce. I'm Anna," I told him, slowly reaching in and tickling his stomach with a finger. "You're Leo, right? If not I must have the wrong room."

After a moment of thought, I reached into the crib and carefully picked him up. His tiny fingers grabbed hold of my hair almost immediately and I flinched as I tried to get away.

"Hey now. I'm sure Mom doesn't let you get away with that."

Slowly moving over to the rocking chair in the corner, I held his little warm body close.

"You look like Daddy," I mused. "Daddy's eyes and curls."

As I began to rock, I took a deep breath. "You may not know it yet, but you've got it made." His big blue eyes looked up at me as his sucked on his fist. "Really, you do. Mom and Dad, they're the best. They'll do anything in their power to make sure your okay and feel loved. Eliot? He's a great cook and he's even got Rosalie mastering some martial arts. Parker and Hardison? Well, their pretty cool. No one can beat Hardison at Call of Duty, except for me, and Parker always has something fun to do."

*TEAM*

Nate had woke when Leo first started to cry, but when he quickly calmed back down, Nate decided to take his chances with getting a few more hours of shut eye.

But then he heard Anna enter.

At first he just listened, smiling to himself as she talked to Leo like he was going to say something back, but as it went on he knew Sophie would want to listen too.

They both laid in bed, the baby monitor turned all the way up as Anna talked to Leo.

"Rosalie is a little too smart sometimes, and she's getting so big! But I'm sure it will be the same with you. You think you'll be more of a mastermind or a grifter? Or are you going to do something totally different and shock us all? Maggie is pretty cool. She'll always listen and sometimes it's really funny to watch her put Dad in his place. Mom says Maggie has had more time to master the skill, but I think Mom kind of likes it when Dad makes her mad. I don't know why though."

Sophie smiled over at Nate as she rolled over and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Sterling and Dad sorta get along but Eliot usually just wants to kill him. That's a long story, actually several long stories. Then there's Quinn."

Anna sighed and Sophie and Nate listened closer.

"He's... Quinn. He tries not to push, just listen and let me take the lead in everything." She inhaled and exhaled hard. "Love is something that I've learned a lot about since Mom and Dad took me in. It's the scariest thing in the whole world, but it makes everything so much better. I think that's why I haven't talked to you until now. All these people that love me, I just keep hurting them. I'm a little afraid of you loving me and I hurt you too.

"Tonight, I made a mistake and possibly hurt Quinn again. And for a second, I thought it would be so much easier if I was gone. My pain would be gone and I could stop hurting everyone else."

Sophie looked at Nate's face, horrified, but his hand tightened around hers.

"But then I heard you." There was a sniff and Anna's voice broke. "I thought about how much Mom and Dad love you and how they get up several times in the middle of the night for you and how they've done that for me. I know that if you were gone that they would just crumble. If Rosalie or any of the others too and then I remembered Mom's face when I first saw her after being gone. I can't leave them again. I have to fight my demons and be alright, I can't just leave, because Mom I can't hurt them anymore.

"But I think I need help."

It was barely more than a whisper, but Sophie and Nate both heard it loud and clear.

"Think you can help me? Yeah." Anna laughed as Leo's coo sounded over the monitor. "Okay, well, first you go to sleep so Mom and Dad can get some shut eye and I'll see you in the morning."

There was the soft sound of Anna kissing Leo's head as she returned him to his crib. "Goodnight little brother."

Nate and Sophie both laid there in silence, but for once... neither of them really had a plan.

_**Okay, now I need your help. I really need some ideas on how Anna can get better and some ideas for this story. Usually, I get my inspiration from life, but since my life has just been work for the last month, my brain is beginning to sound like a broken record of a veterinary clinic soundtrack. Please! Do it for Anna! **_


	101. Family Vacation

Nate and Sophie thought the family needed a vacation. Two weeks of no work, just relaxation and fun. A trip to Hawaii for the family sounded just great. The only problem is they just meant their little family of five, which Hardison and Parker didn't understand and Eliot just assumed he needed to be there as the usual guard dog (even though they were bringing Phantom). Then Sterling mentioned it was a great idea to Maggie and Sophie went on about how she could really use some girl time with her, and that meant Olivia had to come along. Libby, somehow, managed to get on board too, and then Quinn just got invited so he didn't spend two weeks stuck in Portland without the team.

Originally, the idea seemed brilliant, but as Sophie continued to pack, she realized vacations were not as easy as they were a couple years ago. She wasn't just packing for herself and asking if Anna had everything, instead she was packing for herself, Leo, and Rosalie and asking Anna _and _Nate if they had everything.

Even more exhausting was the idea of dealing with airport security and two small children. She openly groaned at just the idea. She may need a vacation to recover from her vacation, either that or a babysitter for at least one full day.

Nate toyed with the idea of a private jet, with so many of them going it wasn't a _bad_ idea, and really, with their resources it would probably be fairly reasonable, but for some reason Sophie could not wrap her mind around he decided against it.

So now there were eight adults, three teenagers and two small children riding first class together. Really it felt like two sets of parents, Olivia, Nate and Sophie's children, their adult "children", and their daughter's best friend and boyfriend.

Sophie felt a headache coming on as she zipped her last suitcase and collapsed on the bed next to where Nate was packing his own bags.

"Why did I think a vacation with a toddler and infant was a good idea?" she asked him grumpily.

"Because _we_ thought it would be good for all of us to have some bonding time," Nate replied moving over to the side her was laying on and crawling onto the bed over her. She grinned naughtily at him and laced her fingers behind her neck. She rolled her hip into his and kissed his lips.

"Maybe some bonding time with just you and me?" Sophie questioned barely separating their lips.

"I may have some plans for that," Nate replied as his hands slid down her sides and Sophie glanced past him to be sure the door was locked before she reached for the button of his jeans.

"Momma!"

"Mom!"

There was the sound of something shattering and Phantom barking.

Their kiss broke an Sophie rolled over and threw her head back and groaned in frustration again as Nate rolled over and sighed.

"Is this a good time to remind you that you wanted them?" Nate questioned with a smirk.

"Well," she grumbled. "You wanted the damn dog."

He laughed as she got up and headed for Rosalie's room first and he decided to check on the dog.

Rosalie was halfway under her bed when Sophie entered the room. "What's wrong, sweetie?" Sophie asked as Rosalie wiggled back out from under her bed.

"I can't find Teddy, Momma!" Well, Rosalie was officially panicking. "He's gone, Momma! We can't leave him!"

Rosalie ran to her mother and wrapped her arms around her waist. "He'll get lonely and I will miss him!"

Sophie pulled her into her arms and reached onto the top bunk of the bed and into the little backpack Sophie had packed as Rosalie's carryon. She pulled out the slightly ratty Teddy and watched Rose's eyes light up.

"How'd he get in there?" Rosalie asked, hugging him tightly.

"I put him there so we have him ready tomorrow morning. So we don't leave him," Sophie tried to explain, but she already knew Teddy was not going to get back in the bag.

"But I need him to sleep. Him _and _Blanky," Rosalie told her.

Sophie really didn't feel like arguing so she just kissed her daughter's cheek and put her on the bed. "Bed time, baby girl," Sophie told her pulling the blankets back so Rose would crawl underneath.

The little girl pouted but did as she was told. "Cause we have to get up early?" she asked as Sophie kissed her forehead.

"Yes, Daddy and I will get you up around five." Rosalie smacked a kiss back on Sophie's lips.

"Momma, I really don't wanna do airplanes," she whined. "They're scary."

Sophie mentally sighed. She didn't think about Rosalie being scared of flying, she mostly prepared for Leo to be the problem. Suddenly she really wished she would have bought that children's book about flying now.

"You know why you shouldn't be scared?" Sophie asked her as she sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Rosalie's hair gently.

Rosalie shook her head and looked up at her Momma.

"Because Daddy and me will right there, we wouldn't take you anywhere that you wouldn't be safe," Sophie told her.

"I love you, Momma," Rosalie told her as she closed her eyes.

Sophie smiled at her little girl. "Love you too, sweetie."

"_Mom!_"

"Sophie!"

And the smile was gone. Exhausted. She was exhausted. She really wanted to tell them to shut up before they woke the baby, but her luck she would be the one to do it.

Sophie turned on Rose's nightlight and clicked off the main light before heading to her other daughter's room. Anna's door was shut and Sophie didn't bother to knock when she entered. Anyone else would have risked being shot, but Anna knew better than to even seem like she was hiding something from her mother.

All the lights were off and Anna was laying in bed with a pillow clamped down over her head.

Sophie immediately knew what was wrong.

"Another migraine?"

Anna groaned and nodded.

Sophie headed to the girl's bathroom and closed the door before she turned on the light. Anna had been getting terrible migraines lately, but she insisted she was fine and didn't want to be looked at. Eliot said that he used to experience them after a particularly stressful job. It was like his body had been used to the high pressure and when it was over all the pressure went to his head.

Filling a cup with cold water and grabbing some pain medication from Anna's bathroom cabinet, Sophie reappeared in Anna's bedroom.

"Here you go," Sophie told her as she sat Anna up to take the pills.

Anna leaned against her shoulder after she handed the glass back. She was clammy and shivery.

"Have you finished packing or do I need to do it for you?" Sophie asked her as she gave her oldest daughter a hug.

"Finished," Anna mumbled sleepily.

_"Sophie!" _

Again, Sophie sighed. "I'll check on you in a little bit, but I better go check on your father before he has a conundrum."

Anna smiled a bit and nodded as she slid deeper under the covers, never opening her eyes.

Gritting her teeth some, Sophie moved to find Nate and possibly kill him. He was suppose to _help_ with her stress, not add to it. As she turned into the kitchen, Sophie felt her own migraine coming on.

Glass was all over the floor and Phantom was under the table, well aware that he was in a ton of trouble. Nate was holding the broom, but still searching the closet for the dustpan.

Moving past him, Sophie reached on to the top shelf of the closet and handed him what he was looking for then grabbed a handful of his shirt.

"Rosalie is asleep, Anna is in bed with a migraine, Leo is sleeping, and I really don't care what happened here. What I need for you to do is clean up this mess, let Phantom into Anna's room, and them come to bed." With more force than he was expecting, Sophie slammed her lips on to his and then pulled away. "I am way too tired, but I have a feeling we won't be alone again for two weeks."

Nate laughed and kissed her lips. "We're going on vacation-"

Sophie shook her head. "No, I think I just packed our bags for hell."

Nate laughed again, but he didn't see what Sophie was already realizing. His eyes were quickly opened in the morning.

Luggage was checked, Leo sleeping in Anna's arm while Rosalie held onto Sophie's hand. Rosalie held her own little backpack, and Anna had the diaper bag with both her own and her mother's wallet in it, but Nate was in charge of Sophie and his own carryon.

Libby was constantly teasing Olivia about her "prude" style while Olivia easily tossed back her own opinions of Libby's short shorts and fishnet top over a strapless bra.

Sterling kept his hand on the small of Maggie's back as they moved through the airport and Quinn helped Anna with the diaper bag or anything he could.

"Some people get cute little siblings," Libby went on to Olivia who was only pretending to be annoyed. Truthfully, she liked Libby's eccentricity.

*ANNA*

It was really no secret that I hated airports, but it was different when everyone else was there. Libby and Olivia together was pretty much hilarious as we waited in line to get through security.

Sophie looked really tired, but she was really trying to keep a happy smile on her face. After all, we are going to Hawaii. I had a fake ID for Libby, Olivia and myself for drinks on the beach and some over twenty-one bars. More fun for me and Quinn too.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am." Someone grabbed my wrist as I made my way through security with Leo in my arms.

Everyone in our party stopped and turned around and looked at me as I stare up into the eyes of a large airport security guard. Easily giving the man a smooth smile with a pointed look to my wrist that was also holding Leo.

"Yes?" my voice was a bit harsh, displaying my protectiveness over my little brother, making him take his hand off of me.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I need to check your bag," he told me, very businesslike though I could tell I was already throwing him off slightly.

Quinn stepped up behind me and gave the man a look. "Is there something wrong, sir?"

The security guard gave him a look. "This is none of your business, sir."

"But it is our business." Nate and Sophie both appeared at my side. "She's seventeen, making her a minor, and we're her parents."

Sophie pulled Rosalie into her arms as she wore her polite death stare. "Is there something wrong?"

The man continued to look nervous as our whole party stared him down.

Sophie tilted her head at him. "Sir, is there a reason you stopped my daughter?"

We all knew he did. I'm sure my face was somewhere on a Most Wanted list even if the picture was several years old.

Suddenly Sterling stepped up. "James Sterling, I'm with Interpol. Is there a problem here?"

Sterling puts his arm over the guard's shoulders and turns him around as Nate takes a step in front of me and I hear Libby lean over and ask Parker a question that I can't quite hear. Suddenly Sterling started laughing.

"You think this girl is a smuggler?" he asked the man as though he was completely ridiculous. "This is my girlfriend's niece." Slapping the man's shoulder with a little extra force Sterling lowered his voice. "Now, why don't you go on before you really embarrass yourself?"

The guard stuttered and nodded as he searched for an easy escape and Sophie grabbed my free hand. I didn't realize I was protectively holding Leo closer to my chest as he happily gurgled at me, my heart was pounding too loud in my ears.

"Anna, you're shaking," Sophie whispered in warning.

"What the hell do you expect? She literally almost had her worst nightmare, other than maybe Cory or Moreau coming back from the dead or maybe her parents. But hell, that could have been bad. Not that we couldn't have taken his scrawny ass," Hardison went on to say as Sophie and Nate both gave him a death glare.

"Oo," Parker said her eyes getting big as she looked back at Libby, Olivia, Eliot, Sterling and Maggie. "Hardison just broke three rules before we even got on the plane!"

Libby gave her a funny look. "Rules? What rules?"

"No talking about Cory or Moreau and no cussing in front of Rosalie." Parker then thought for a moment. "I guess you could also say he was talking about work so that's four."

Maggie shook her head. "How many kids do you have, Sophie?"

Sophie sighed as she pulled Rosalie's hand away from pulling a wallet out of the woman's purse in front of her, something I could assume Parker taught her. "You know, I was asking myself that question yesterday when I was packing."

Suddenly Parker's eyes got wide. "Oh no! I forgot my toothbrush!"

"Brought an extra just for you," Sophie replied with a sigh, but still offered Parker a compassionate smile. Parker beamed back at her and took a seat next to Hardison as we waited to board. Rose sat on Nate's lap and I sat between Sophie and Quinn. Libby sat behind me, being her goofy self with Olivia slowly warming up enough to go along with it.

Truthfully, I think Sophie needed a vacation from the rest of us, but I also don't think she'd know what to do anymore without at least Leo or Rosalie.

I set Leo on my lap and watched him look around at his new surroundings and chew on his fist.

"See, I wouldn't mind having little siblings if they were as cute as yours," Libby commented tickling Leo's tummy.

Olivia snorted. "No thanks. I like my only child status."

"Normally parents don't ask our opinion," I reminded Olivia catching a wink Sophie sent to Maggie.

"Yeah, my dad sure the hell didn't ask me if I wanted the step-monster to pop out three mini-monsters." Libby shivered. "They're the span of Satan and my Eco-Friendly father... Their Eco Satans."

Olivia shook her head with mock sympathy. "That sounds terrible!"

Libby sighed dramatically. "You don't know terrible until you've had a tofu turkey on Thanksgiving and Lucifer one through three used your Honor's English notes as paper for their papier-mâché Christmas present for Dad."

Sophie chuckled, I guess easily seeing Rosalie doing something similar.

"Kids are kids, Libby. Besides, at least you're dealing with little mistakes. When Anna would do something when she was sixteen, it was sometimes life or death and whether or not I was going to kill her after."

I feigned innocence. "I wasn't so bad."

Even Maggie rolled her eyes at that. "Plus you had a hell of a wall and if anyone but Sophie tried to show you the least bit of affection you about bit their hand off."

Eliot laughed. "Remember the day we met her. It was like cornering a cobra."

"I think the snake would have been nicer," Nate added giving me a half smile.

"She literally ran over Hardison," Parker went on for them. "She just plowed right over him in the bait shop and Sophie somehow managed to grab her before she escaped."

Sophie grimaced and rubbed her shoulder. "Something I'm reminded of every now and then when it gets sore."

"Funny that she didn't fight you, in fact she hid behind you," Nate mused with a smile.

The story was one we didn't talk about often, but when I actually thought about it I remembered how scared I was to be cornered by all of them. Hardison was the easiest one to get past so I did it, but I also remember how Sophie managed to grab my arm before I could get to the door, nearly pulling her down on top of me.

"She looked at all of us, so angry I wasn't sure if she was going to attack or run, but then Anna just looked at me," Sophie said softly looking over at me as I pretended to be focused completely on Leo. "She was just terrified."

Nate chuckled. "When she finally realized we weren't the police, she warmed to Sophie first, then Parker and Eliot and finally Hardison. I remember being glad she took to Sophie and not Parker because Parker would want to keep her. Well, it ended up Sophie giving me the ultimatum of keeping Anna or letting Sophie go."

Rose looked horrified. "You didn't want Nana?" she asked Nate, suddenly looking back at her mother. "But you wanted Nana, right?"

Nate looked a little guilt as took Rosalie from Sophie and sat her in his lap. "This was quite a while ago, before I really knew Anna," Nate defended himself. "She didn't like me either."

A chuckled escaped before I could catch it making some of the attention turn to me as I tried to hide my smirk.

"No, I did not. You were a drunk ass though!" I defended with a smile. "You called me a stray at one point and a misfit toy!"

Sophie smirked. "Be glad he didn't check you for fleas."

"But now, you love me," I said confidently, giving Nate one of my best smiles. "And you're stuck with three of us."

"Six of us, actually. We were here first," Parker corrected motioning toward Eliot, Hardison and herself.

Libby sighed contently as she sunk down comfortably in her seat as we waited to board. "This is why I love your family. Never a dull moment."

Little did we all know, the fun was just beginning.

_**My goal was to bring a little fun back and I think their vacation with the whole brood should be very interesting. I feel like it would be so much fun to send them all on a "carefree" adventure to Hawaii but I think I'm going to have to include at least some of the plane ride. After all, Rosalie is not a fan of planes. **_


End file.
